


Rescue Plan A

by Helentellstails



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alpha Christophe Giacometti, Alpha Victor Nikiforov, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Yakuza, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxious Katsuki Yuuri, Attempted Kidnapping, Attempted Murder, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Bonding, Confident Katsuki Yuuri, Eating Disorders, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Enthusiastic Consent, Heavy Angst, M/M, Masturbation, Murder, Oblivious Katsuki Yuuri, Omega Katsuki Yuuri, Omega Phichit Chulanont, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Other Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, POV Katsuki Yuuri, POV Victor Nikiforov, Physical Abuse, Protective Victor Nikiforov, Rating May Change, Sexual Abuse, Shy Katsuki Yuuri, Suicidal Thoughts, Tags Are Hard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:53:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 16
Words: 68,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27927049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helentellstails/pseuds/Helentellstails
Summary: “Commemorative photo? Sure, although this is an odd location.”“I’m sorry what?”“The way your staring, I thought you might prefer a photo. I find it highly unlikely you came in here to use the bathroom especially since you have been trying to get close to me all night.”Yuuri blinked, the Pakhan’s voice was cold and hard. There was not a single trace of the kindness Yuuri remembered from the beach so long ago. “No, forgive me.” He bowed. “It’s only that it has been a very long time.”“I’m afraid you have me confused with someone else. You have thirty seconds to tell me why you are really here.”“I need a favor,” Yuuri blurted out. This was going all wrong. He should have known it would never work.--Victor is the Pakhan of the Russian Bratva and Yuuri, property of the Yakuza, needs his help. Victor is more than happy to help him with his plan until he finds out that Yuuri is paying the price for their activities.
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov, Mila Babicheva/Sara Crispino, Otabek Altin/Yuri Plisetsky, Phichit Chulanont & Katsuki Yuuri, Phichit Chulanont/Christophe Giacometti
Comments: 267
Kudos: 743





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time writing a fan fiction and posting anything online. I hope people enjoy it. 
> 
> A few notes.  
> In the first chapter there is reference to sexual abuse. (Not between Victor and Yuuri.) If you do not want to read that part I will mark it off in the text. Later there are also references to physical and mental abuse.(Also not between Victor and Yuuri.) I will also put warnings at the beginning of the chapters and clearly mark them in the text so you don't have to read them. 
> 
> They are criminal organizations, there is foul language and refences to murder and criminal activity throughout. 
> 
> Thank you for taking the time to read this. I appreciate your time and I hope you enjoy the story.

Japan  
Six years ago

Yuuri sat in the cool sand at the edge of the shadows cast by a huge spotlight on the sidewalk the spilled over onto the sand at night with his knees pulled to his chest and his face buried in his knees. He tried in vain not to cry.

He could not talk to his mother. She would cry and be distraught over what was happening and her lack of ability to help him. He could not talk to Mari or Phichit. They were both far to rash and would take matters into their own hands. That left his father. 

When he asked his father for help and told him about the older boy and what was happening his father reminded him that the Oyabun wanted to have a peaceful pleasant summit. He wanted them to please their guests. His father said they wanted the peace summit to reflect well on Yu-topia Katsuki. That Yuuri was not yet Yakuza. That he did not have the rights or protections of the Yakuza and that he did not have the right to interrupt the peace summit for something so trivial as his personal comfort. 

His father told him to find a way to work it out. Don’t be alone with the boy or do as he asked and get it over with. But do not disrupt the summit. 

So Yuuri spent the day hiding from the older boy. The beach was cool on this spring night in southern Japan. A breeze blew in off the ocean and dried his tears. He was safe out here. Far enough away from the Onsen that no one would find him for the evening. He made sure Peach knew where he went so if his mother was looking for him she wouldn’t worry. She sensed something was wrong. 

A peel of feminine laughter cut across the dark beach. Yuuri squeezed his legs tighter and prayed that he would fade into the shadows. He could hear the voices and the footsteps getting closer. He dared to tilt his head and peak up. 

He immediately regretted his choice. Victor Nikiforov, the young alpha destined to be the next Pakhan and the most beautiful person Yuuri had ever seen was walking down the beach with a tall, giggling, red head. 

Victor had long moonlight hair and clear blue ocean eyes. Yuuri had gotten to serve him tea yesterday something usually reserved for the omegas but there was a mix up, his mother had been desperate and Yuuri had worked at the Onsen long enough to know how to serve a simple tea. Most of the people in the room ignored him. A few scowled at him for not being a young, beautiful, unmated omega. This alpha, he looked up at him and said thank you. The man was beautiful and kind. 

Yuuri tucked his head back into his legs. He did not want the future head of the Bratva thinking he was weak. Would he think the entire Yakuza was weak? Yuuri tried in vain to sink into the shadows. 

He heard voices in Russian and looked up as the future Pakhan waved the lovely red head off down the beach, she sighed and shrugged and then the man who would lead the Bratva dropped down into the sand in front of him. 

“Why are you crying?”

Anxiety bubbled up inside Yuuri’s chest, his hands shook, and he clutched them tighter on his legs. He fought to draw breath, what could he say to the future Pakhan? 

“Nothing is wrong,” he lied, barely peeking over his legs. “I’m fine.”

***

The boy sitting in the sand in front of him was confusing. In the paperwork they received he was listed as a beta, the innkeeper’s son. That was what they told the Bratva. Then yesterday he served tea, typically the role of an omega. When he did Victor thought he caught a hint of his scent. Cherry blossoms. 

Betas had simple one note scents typically only detectable by other Betas. What’s more a Betas scent could not convey the wide range of emotion that an alpha or omegas smell could. However, Victor could smell the lie on this boy as clearly as he could see the tear tracts on his face. He also smelled like distress; it gave a slightly burnt smell around the edges of his sweet cherry blossom scent. 

Victor was not sure what disturbed him more, the boy’s distress or that he felt the need to make it right. The boy sat curled in the sand not quite meeting his gaze, big brown eyes hidden behind blue framed glasses. He was strangely endearing. 

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Yuuri.”

“Yuuri, I’m Victor. It is a pleasure to meet you.” Victor extended his hand and very slowly almost as if he were afraid it was a trick the boy reached out and took his hand. His eyes were very wide and his touch very gentle. “How old are you Yuuri?”

“I will be eighteen in a few months.” 

Victor understood the phrasing. Most people presented between fourteen and seventeen. With sixteen being the average age. Fourteen was considered young. If you turned eighteen and you had not presented as alpha or omega it was unlikely you would. Although there were always a few. 

Yuuri would be old enough to be full Yakuza by the time the peace summit was in Japan again. They rotated between Japan, Italy, and Russia. Contracts, between both legal and illegal businesses ventures were renegotiated each year. And mating between the organizations was encouraged because it was believed, rightfully so, that it helped keep the peace. If your organization had intermarriages with your partners, you were far less likely to go to war with them. 

“What are you training for?” Victor asked.

The boy flushed and it looked pretty on his cheeks. “Tactical planning. But my sister is training me in hand-to-hand combat and my brother is training me in weapons, guns mostly.”  
“Tactical planning is a valuable skill.” Now that Victor had warmed him up he went in for the kill. “Why are you alone out here tonight?”

“I’m not Yakuza yet, I’m just the innkeeper’s son. My job is to make the guests happy. Some of the guests…one of the guests…was unkind.”

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Something about the way he said unkind made Victor tense inside. He felt the absurd need to protect this younger boy with chocolate brown eyes who smelled like cherry blossoms. 

“Tell me what happened, Yuuri.” 

“I probably shouldn’t. My father said not to disrupt the summit.” 

“Yuuuuurrriii” Victor smiled at the way the younger boys face flushed when he drew out his name. “How will I know who to punish if you don’t tell me a name. I will have to go back to the inn and start beating up all the unmated male alphas in the Italian mafia.” 

Yuuri gasped. “You wouldn’t.”

“Hmmmm, I would. Unless you give me a reason not to.”

“I…uhm…what if they were Russian?”

Victor fought back an angry snarl. “Then it is even more important that you tell me. I need to make sure my people are disciplined. We do not terrorize our allies.”  
Yuuri’s cheeks flushed scarlet. His scent was embarrassed but also pleased. Victor drew in a deep breath through his nose, he wasn’t close enough to really scent him, but he could have sworn he caught just a hint of vanilla in his scent. It was faint and fleeting, probably just a soap or shampoo he used. 

“Someone… he…” Yuuri hesitated and looked out into the inky black night towards the water where they could hear the crashing waves. Yuuri closed his eyes and the words tumbled out of his mouth. “He pushed me against a wall. He told me I was too pretty to be a beta and I should have been an omega. He dragged me into an empty room and he… he was unkind to me.”  
The scent of distress clung to Yuuri. Burnt edges eating away at his clean crisp scent. 

“Did he touch you?” Victor could not keep the growl from his voice.

Yuuri’s face flushed an even deeper red and he tucked it into his legs. “It’s fine, my job is to keep the customers happy and satisfied during the peace summit.” 

“Yuuri,” Victor tried hard to make his voice soft and sweet. But he knew there was an edge to it. “Please tell me what happened?” 

Yuuri lifted his face and pulled his legs even tighter to his body like he wanted to be so small he would disappear. He rested his chin on his knee. Tears traced down his cheeks. “I think his name was Dimitri, he pulled me into an empty room. He forced me onto my knees. Then he unzipped his pants and…” 

Yuuri’s gaze lost focus as he stared out over the ocean. 

“Why do you think his name was Dimitri?” Victor asked, his skin practically vibrating torn between anger and the need to do violence and the desire to take this young boy in his arms and offer him comfort he was not sure he would accept. 

“He was in the middle of…what he was doing…and someone called ‘Dimitri are you ready to go?’ He yelled back he would be right there and told me we would finish this later. I’ve been hiding most of the day.” 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

“Sweet Yuuri, you said you were learning hand-to-hand combat. Why didn’t you fight him?”

“The Oyuban has ordered us to please our guests and not to disrupt the peace summit. I am not yet Yakuza, I do not have that protection. My only job is to please our guests.” 

“The hell it is.” Victor ground out the angry words. He reached into his boot and took out a small switchblade. It had a mother of pearl handle. “If any of my men ever touches you again I am ordering you to stab them with this. Don’t worry about Dimitri he will be taken care of.” 

***

Japan  
Six years later- the present. 

“Yuuri, breathe,” Phichit made the words an order. 

“I’m trying.” 

“You have to calm down. You look stunning. You worked on this plan for months. You are like, a Victor Nikiforov fan boy, if such a thing existed in organized crime. It is going to work. Just breathe.”

“Right.” Yuuri closed his eyes and drew several slow deep breaths. It was the opening banquet of the peace summit. They were in a Yakuza owned spa and hotel in Tokyo. It was much bigger than the Onsen and each delegation had been able to bring more people. 

Yuuri wore a dress designed specifically for male omegas. It was black, with one arm made entirely of soft lace that flowed from his wrist up his arm onto his shoulder and back. The other shoulder was covered with a few crystals. The skirt just touched the floor, it was black on the outside and red on the inside with a slit up to mid-thigh a ruffle of red and black ran along the slit allowing only glimpses of his leg. It hugged every curve of his body perfectly. 

Tonight, it was his armor for what he had to do. 

For the next hour he crept closer and closer to the Pakhan. He waited until he entered the posh bathroom then gave it another two minutes watching the time on the clock in the banquet room literally tick by. Finally, he approached. 

“Hold it.” The woman at the door stopped him with a hand on his chest. She had dark brown hair and violet eyes and wore a suit that fit her to perfection and did not even try to hide the gun strapped to her hip. 

Obviously the Pakhan’s bodyguard. She must be an alpha. Both her scent glands were covered with patches and she was completely scentless. She looked and sounded like she came from the Italian mafia. Her eyes scanned over him and she pointed at his tiny bag. 

“Open.” He did as he was instructed. She glanced inside and nodded. 

She reached up and touched her earpiece “There is an omega out here, can he enter?” 

She must have gotten an affirmative response because she stepped aside and dropped her hand. Yuuri pushed the door opened to the huge marble and granite bathroom. His eyes fell on the Pakhan. He stood at the sink drying his hands on a soft white towel. He’d cut his moonlight hair, it hung at a sharp angle along his jaw, almost covering one of his brilliant blue eyes. He looked older and more mature. Yuuri hoped the other man thought the same about him.

“Commemorative photo? Sure, although this is an odd location.” 

“I’m sorry what?” 

“The way your staring, I thought you might prefer a photo. I find it highly unlikely you came in here to use the bathroom especially since you have been trying to get close to me all night.”  
Yuuri blinked, the Pakhan’s voice was cold and hard. There was not a single trace of the kindness Yuuri remembered from the beach so long ago. “No, forgive me.” He bowed. “It’s only that it has been a very long time.” 

“I’m afraid you have me confused with someone else. You have thirty seconds to tell me why you are really here.”

“I need a favor,” Yuuri blurted out. This was going all wrong. He should have known it would never work.

The Pakhan gave a snort of laughter. “Right, because no alpha has ever thought to send me their omega to beg for favors before. Whatever your alpha wants the answer is no. He should have come and asked me himself.” He turned fully towards the door and took a step towards Yuuri preparing to leave. 

“I’m not mated. See.” Yuuri pulled the velvet cover off the smooth metal collar that sat around his neck. 

The Pakhan scowled and Yuuri felt his face flush. This was so not going according to plan. He pulled the cover back over the collar. At least the Pakhan was not leaving. “I only meant to show you that the favor is for me, well me and my friends.” 

“What in the name of every god and goddess would make you think you could ask me for a favor?” The Pakhan scowled at him. 

“Because you’ve helped me before.” Yuuri never spoke to Victor again after that night on the beach but Dimitri had disappeared rumors said he was sent back to Russia in disgrace. 

“I’m afraid you have me confused with someone else.” 

Yuuri forced down his anxiety. He had one more card to play. “Yes of course, allow me to just –“ He reached down and opened his bag. Suddenly he found him back slammed against the wall, an arm across his throat, the Pakhan’s face inches from his.

“Who the fuck are you and what are you really doing here?” The Pakhan demanded. 

***

Victor knew he was in trouble the minute the omega looked at him with those big chocolate brown eyes laced with amber. He reminded him of a beta he met on a beach a long time ago. Every year he checked the list of betas attending the summit but Yuuri’s name was never on the list. 

Victor pulled his emotions back hard. He learned his lesson with the beta he had never seen, or even heard of again. You only trusted family. Bratva was family. 

He had no idea why this omega thought he had some right to ask for favors. Whatever it was he was wrong. Victor was about to walk past him when he reached into his bag and every instinct Victor had screamed weapon. 

Now this close the scent of distressed omega filled his senses. Cherry blossom, vanilla, a hint of cinnamon, all of it burnt around the edges with the omegas distress. Seared hot with his fear. Victor dropped his arm and took two steps back. 

Cherry blossom. Vanilla. That familiar and yet almost forgotten burnt scent of distress. His gaze dragged over the omega in front of him. Black hair pushed back from his face and held with some type of gel, He wasn’t wearing glasses, contacts most likely for the opening night of the summit. 

“I apologize, Pakhan.” He straightened from where Victor had shoved him against the wall. Despite his fear he stood up tall. “I merely wanted to return this.” 

He pulled the little mother of pearl switch blade Victor had given Yuuri all those years ago from his tiny bag. Instead of trying to approach Victor with the knife he moved further into the bathroom and sat the blade on the counter. 

He had been going for a weapon. Victor’s instincts were never wrong. Victor was most definitely in trouble. His instincts were not wrong about that either. 

Yuuri turned without another word and left the bathroom. Victor walked over and picked up the knife. He opened the blade. There was no message or anything he was meant to find here. He had scared the boy away. 

The boy he had been secretly, and not so secretly, obsessing over for the past six years. 

Wonderful. Now he just needed to figure out everything Yuuri ever wanted, give it to him, and convince him to come back to Russia with him so that he could court his mate properly.  
He touched his earpiece. “Mila, search the documents we were given for an omega named Katsuki Yuuri.” 

“Wasn’t he a beta yesterday?” Mila asked. 

“Just check the paperwork.” He turned the knife over and over in his hands as he waited. 

“Well I’ll be damned, look at that. Omega, Katsuki Yuuri. No wonder you could never find him. You were looking for the wrong dynamic.”

“And the Yakuza don’t take their omega overseas.” Victor muttered. “Thank you, Mila.”

Victor stepped out of the bathroom. “Sara, I just made a terrible mistake.”

Sara rolled her eyes. “Of course, you did.” 

He frowned at her. “You make it sound like that is a given. I have been running the Bratva very successfully for the past five years.” 

“Victor, if a decision has to do with the family you are one hundred percent solid. But if it’s about your personal life you’re not worth shit.” 

“It’s wonderful to know everyone has such a high opinion of me.”

“We all adore you Victor, and you know it. Part of the reason we love you is because you let us be honest. You know I would take a bullet for you in a heartbeat. Don’t think that the Oyabun inspires that kind of loyalty. He leads out of fear and tradition.”

“You let him walk in there with a knife.” Victor countered. “What kind of loyalty is that?”

“He had no intention of using it. Did he try?”

“How did you know that?”

“Did he try?”

“Well, no.”

“You see I was right.” Sara shot him a smug grin. “I’m always right. Ask Mila.”

Victor smirked. “I don’t think Mila would be the best person to ask”

As they talked Victor made his way across the banquet room to where he saw Yuuri standing with another male omega. Now that he knew who he was looking at he took a moment to admire the way the dress clung to the curve of his hips and the hint of leg it showed when he walked. 

“You just don’t want to hear her answer.” 

“Sara, you are mated, how do I fix this?”

“Ask him to dance,” Sara advised with a shrug. 

“That seems very straightforward.” 

“Just because we are crime organizations doesn’t mean everything needs to be clandestine.”


	2. A favor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It didn’t work,” Yuuri whispered to Phichit. 
> 
> “What happened?” 
> 
> “He was very angry I was there, and I don’t think he remembered me.”
> 
> “That’s why you took the knife. Did you show him the knife?”
> 
> “I think he thought I was trying to draw a weapon on him.”
> 
> “Yuuri! You are lucky you’re not dead.” 
> 
> Yuuri nodded. It was true. He had not been allowed to practice hand-to-hand combat in years. Not since he presented as an omega a few months before his twentieth birthday. He was out of shape and out of practice. The Pakhan was neither of those things. 
> 
> __________________________  
> Yuuri and Victor reconnect after six years and Yuuri finally gets to ask for his favor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, thank you all for the warm and wonderful response to the first chapter. I hope I can continue to live up to your expectations. I am loving writing this story and I am so close to finishing it on paper but it took an unexpected turn so it got a little longer than I originally planned. :-) Stories run away sometimes. 
> 
> Trigger warnings:  
> There is a very brief - like one line mention of suicide in this chapter.  
> There is the discussion of the past rape of another character but it is not talked about in detail only the aftermath.  
> There is also Yuuri getting physically abused. All are mentioned briefly and not given any detail. 
> 
> I marked all these areas off if you want to read around them and put any details you might have missed in the end notes. 
> 
> This story is un-betaed if you see any glaring grammatical errors please feel free to tell me. Please do not post to another site.

“It didn’t work,” Yuuri whispered to Phichit. 

“What happened?” 

“He was very angry I was there, and I don’t think he remembered me.”

“That’s why you took the knife. Did you show him the knife?”

“I think he thought I was trying to draw a weapon on him.”

“Yuuri! You are lucky you’re not dead.” 

Yuuri nodded. It was true. He had not been allowed to practice hand-to-hand combat in years. Not since he presented as an omega a few months before his twentieth birthday. He was out of shape and out of practice. The Pakhan was neither of those things. 

If the Pakhan had chosen to hurt him he could have. But he didn’t. The Pakhan had smelled him, and much to Yuuri’s embarrassment he had not been able to control his fear or distress. Perhaps that was why the Pakhan had stepped back. Many alphas did not like to hurt omegas their first instinct being to protect them. It took a special kind of alpha to inflict pain on an omega without being under the control of a stronger alpha.

“Did you get to ask at all?”

“I told him I needed a favor. But he thought I was there for my mate.” 

Phichit snorted. “Okay, that’s funny.” 

“I never had the opportunity to tell him what we needed, Phichit.” 

“What does that mean?”  
_______________________________________________________________________________________  
“I guess that means we resort to plan B.” 

“Yuuri, plan B is literally suicide,” Phichit’s voice was uncommonly solemn.  
___________________________________________________________________________________________  
“Well, we can’t have that, now can we?” Yuuri and Phichit both spun around to see the Pakhan standing behind them. He was turning the closed switchblade over and over in his hand, his gaze went from the knife to Yuuri’s face. He slipped the knife in the pocket of his suit. “Would you care to dance Yuuri?”

Yuuri gave a quick glance at Phichit to make sure he heard correctly. Phichit gave a tiny nod and stepped back out of the way. 

“Thank you Pakhan, I would be honored.” Yuuri stepped forward and placed his hand in the Pakhan’s extended hand.

“It’s Victor.” 

“Oh, uhm… all right…” Yuuri had no idea what to say. He certainly was not going to ask for a favor again when it had gone so poorly last time. But why had the Pakhan sought him out? And he remembered his name. Yuuri never said his name. The Pakhan remembered it. 

“You presented as omega?”

It was part question, part statement. “Uhm, yes. I had a late presentation.” Yuuri’s mind flashed back to the conversation on the beach. “I presented just before my twentieth birthday. I guess Dimitri was right about me…” 

Why had he said that? Yuuri clamped his mouth shut and Victor let out a low growl. 

“Dimitri was a would-be rapist who deserved what he got.” Victor snarled the words. 

“Oh, uhm, of course. I just meant… because he said the thing… about me being to pretty to be a beta…” 

Once again Yuuri snapped his jaw shut. What was he saying? He felt the color crawling up his cheeks with the heat of his blush. Victor’s gaze scanned down his body. “Not, not that I’m pretty. Just that I’m not a beta.” 

Yuuri closed his eyes for a second and wondered if this could possibly go any worse. 

“No, solnyshko, you are certainly not pretty.” Yuuri had not known it was possible for his face to get any redder, but he could feel the heat on his cheeks and thought he might actually spontaneously combust. He did not know what the Russian word meant but it did not sound derogatory, and the way Victor said it seemed to caress over his skin. “You are gorgeous.” 

“Oh.” Yuuri forced his eyes open and looked up into eyes so blue he could drown in them. 

***

Victor spent the next few minutes wondering how one human being could be equal parts hot and adorably cute at the same time. Somehow Yuuri was pulling it off.  
As the song ended, he asked, “You said you needed a favor, moy dorogoy?” He knew he should not use the endearment. Not yet. He might scare the boy off. But he could not seem to stop himself. 

He watched Yuuri throw a worried glance around the room. He pulled his lower lip between his teeth and bit it in a nervous gesture. Victor fought the urge to lean down and lick over the spot to sooth the area he was worrying. No, it was definitely to soon for that. 

Yuuri smiled but the gesture did not reach his eyes. “Everything is fine Pakhan. Thank you for the dance. You are a wonderful dance partner.” 

Whatever Yuuri saw when he glanced around troubled him. Yuuri moved to step away and Victor caught his arm. “Yuuri, come for a walk in the garden with me.” 

He made it clear from his tone that it was not a request. He was the Pakhan, he was used to giving orders and having them followed. Yuuri looked up at him, his eyes growing impossibly wider. His scent surprised and a hint of distress. “If you insist, Pakhan.” 

“I do.” Despite his words Victor released his arm as they walked out the door and into the garden side by side but not touching. He did not like Yuuri looking at him with distress in his scent. How many more ways could he screw up this night? Perhaps he should kidnap Yuuri? Or he could bang his chest and yell ‘mine’ at the top of his lungs. Hmmm, that last idea actually had a certain appeal. 

They walked under the seemingly sporadically hung lanterns that left as many shadows as they did patches of light. Yuuri remained silent at his side. Sara stayed several steps behind, but he could almost hear her laughing at him. 

“Yuuri.”

The omega jumped at the sound of his own name. They had arrived at one of those patches of shadow near the back of the garden and Victor stopped walking and turned toward Yuuri.

“What are you thinking about?”

“Foolish things, Pakhan.”

“Victor,” he corrected.

“Forgive me, Victor.”

“Tell me why you need help, Yuuri?” They were alone now; Victor was certain of it.

“It’s foolish-“ Yuuri was twisting his hands together and his gaze was locked on his fingers. He would not look up into Victor’s eyes. 

“Who would you like me to kill?”

“What?” Yuuri’s gaze flew to Victor’s face. His brown eyes wide and innocent. “No, no, no. It is nothing like that. I would never ask you to do anything like that.” 

Victor smiled as he watched the blush creep over Yuuri’s cheeks. “Tell me what you need Yuuri.” 

“It’s a little complicated, will you hear me out.” 

“Yes, I can do that.”

“In the simplest terms I want you to help me rescue some omegas who are being trafficked. I know you have always made it clear that the Bratva does not deal in trafficking. Not women, omegas, or children. Which is why I think it will distress you to know that the Yakuza is using one of your ports as a distribution site for their operation. I know you could shut it down now with a few phone calls, but I want to ask you to wait. To rescue the next group of omegas that is scheduled to come through the port.” 

Yuuri paused at a noise. He looked around. Then licked his lips which really did need a good moisturizer and turned so he was facing Victor face to face. Their bodies only inches apart. To anyone who saw them it would look like they were having an intimate conversation. “I know you must be wondering why you should help.” 

He wasn’t really. The reason stood right in front of him. But if Yuuri wanted to explain he was more than happy to let the omega talk. Not only did he have a lovely voice he was learning all about his mate as he stood here talking about rescue missions. Hadn’t he been studying tactical planning? No doubt he had the mission planned out to the last detail. 

Yuuri inched closer to him and he could smell his nervous energy. Not quite distress. But uncertainty and nervous for sure. He had such bright innocent eyes. Victor reached out and rested a hand on his waist. He leaned down and let his ear rest close to Yuuri’s cheek. He felt Yuuri’s body relax. 

“It would be very bad for me if anyone overheard.” 

He turned slightly, letting his breath fan over Yuuri’s ear as he spoke. “Then we will not let anyone overhear, solnyshko.” 

Did he imagine the hitch in Yuuri’s breath? The sweet scent of cherry blossoms and vanilla with a bit of cinnamon filled his nose. He could taste real fear in Yuuri’s scent, but also gratitude. Yuuri though Victor was doing him a favor. He was grateful. 

He could work with that. It was a start. 

“There are four omegas.” Yuuri’s hands slid up his chest to clench the lapels of his suit jacket. “They have been auctioned off in a high stakes auction and the buyers are waiting to receive their product. One of the omegas will go to a crime boss in the United States cementing a relationship in that area of the world. Another is going to be part of a harem, for an oil tycoon who likes Asian boys. The third is going to someone in South Africa, that was all Kenji could get. And Kenji, he is being sold to an international conglomerate that will chain him to computers all day and destroy his soul, especially when… well… never mind.” 

Victor could not help himself. He knew it was a bad idea, but he turned his head slightly and nipped at the shell of Yuuri’s ear. The omega gave a soft gasp but did not pull away. “What’s in it for me?” 

“Well, uhm,” Yuuri cleared his throat and Victor could smell his embarrassment and was that interest? He couldn’t be sure, he’d have to try again later. “The…the boy being sold to the Saudi Arabian is the best sniper not currently employed by a government agency.” 

“Your friend inside, what was his name?” 

“Phichit, yes. He is the best. If it can move, he can shot it. I’m not lying I swear.” 

“I know Yuuri, I’d smell it on you if you were.” Embarrassment flooded Yuuri’s pleasant scent turning it sour. “Keep going, what else do I get.” 

“Oh, yes, uhm, Kenji. He is only fifteen, but he can already hack practically anything you put in front of him. And he can run money through so many accounts it is scrubbed and untraceable.”

“What is the catch with Kenji?”  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
“Minami Kenjiro, he’s my cousin on my mother’s side so he shouldn’t even be Yakuza. But when they saw what he could do they pulled him in. Then he presented as omega young, at fourteen. He, well, he is pregnant. Please Victor, please do not tell anyone. He was raped.” 

“And they would force him to bond with his rapist?” Victor guessed his voice bitter.

“No, his rapist has a mate. But they would force him to get an abortion. They would take his baby. Kenji is asexual. He figures this is his only chance to have a child.”

“He is only a child.” Victor countered.

“It is his body. This was forced on him. He should be allowed to choose what to do with his future. He would work hard for you even as a mother.”  
_________________________________________________________________________________  
“I have no doubt.” Victor sighed. The poor boy. He would do everything he could to support him. This Kenji could share tutors with Yura. And there were other parents in the Bratva who had a kind of co-op to help take care of children. “Fine, the other two.” 

“The third is someone you might have heard of. Her name is Isabella Yang.” 

Victor tensed. “The Yakuza has Isabella Yang?”

“Yes, the Oyabun took her over some imagined slight from JJ. If you rescued her you could cement a bond with the Leroy crime syndicate. That would give you connections in North America. Strong connections. Then there is the fourth omega. By taking him, you would weaken the Yakuza’s position in North America even as you strengthened your own.”

Victor stroked a hand from Yuuri’s waist to his hip. “Who is the last omega Yuuri?”

“I am.” 

***

Yuuri stood next to Phichit watching the crowd in the banquet room begin to thin out. He very deliberately did not look over at Victor. Victor had listened to every word he said and agreed to his plan. He made minor adjustments but other than that he agreed to everything Yuuri asked. It made his insides feel warm and he could not stop smiling. 

He fought not to look across the room and smile at Victor. Phichit leaned over and whispered. “You like him.” 

“Shut up,” Yuuri hissed back. He narrowed his eyes at his friend. But he could not hide the smile that tugged at his lips. “That wasn’t part of the plan.”

“Sometimes plan’s change. And you have always had a thing for him, ever since the summit at the onsen.” 

Yuuri’s smile slipped away. 

When he was seventeen and believed he was a beta Victor was an impossible dream. A stunning alpha who had actually seen Yuuri, looked into his eyes, and spoken to him. Even if it had only been a few words of thanks. He was completely out of Yuuri’s reach. An alpha would never look at a beta. Especially not a beta as plain and unattractive as Yuuri. The fact that he was going to be the next Pakhan put him even more firmly out of Yuuri’s reach. 

That did not mean he didn’t dream about the alpha from the moment he laid eyes on him. His moonlight hair and his ocean blue eyes pulled at Yuuri. At one point he actually believed that Dimitri’s actions were punishment for his own wish that Victor would notice him. 

Except, then Victor noticed him again. Found him on the beach and it had been Dimitri who was punished, not Yuuri. 

For years Yuuri believed if he worked hard enough, he could see Victor again one day as a member of the Yakuza. Show him how much he had improved and prove to him how strong he had become. Not the crying teenager on the beach, but a full member of the Yakuza. Worth noticing.

He never imagined Victor would look at him the same way he looked at Victor. He was still a beta and Victor was still an alpha. But since he studied tactical planning, he might one day be in the same meetings as him. 

Then a few months before his twentieth birthday, and only a few months after Phichit presented, Yuuri went through a late presentation as an omega. It was a difficult presentation. He had not been stable enough to go to the peace summit that cycle. And the Japanese did not take their omega’s overseas. 

If he were honest with himself, he had been hoping that Victor would see him and recognize him this year. 

Then things had changed. Things got desperate. Yuuri needed to put all his skills at tactical planning to use. Drawing up a plan that would save them all, could get them all punished, or worse, could break his heart into a million pieces. 

Then he almost messed it all up before he even had a chance to ask for his favor. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath forcing himself to calm down. 

“Yuuri, it’s okay.” Phichit took his hand. They had been best friends, brothers, before they presented and inseparable since. “Everything is okay.” 

Yuuri smiled again, but this one was forced. Over the next few days, he and Victor were going to pay a very elaborate game. The problem of course was that while the Pakhan of Russia was simply doing him a favor Yuuri felt much more than a passing interest in him. 

Victor was still completely out of his league. Even if he was an omega.

“Hey squirt, you ready to get going?” He looked up at Mari and nodded. He could catch a glimpse of Victor from the corner of his eye if he tilted his head just so. But he did not turn completely to look at him. 

Mari smiled at him and indicated for him and Phichit to follow her. She led them both upstairs to their shared bedroom. Once Yuuri opened the door she smiled, fluffed his hair, and went on down the hall to her own room. 

Phichit flipped the light switch, two men were sitting in the two desk chairs in their room. This was fine. This was not unexpected. He had accounted for this in his planning. 

“Yuuri,” the one named Morooka said smoothly. “What did the Pakhan want with you?”

“To dance, to walk in the garden,” Yuuri paused, he glanced over at Phichit who met his gaze briefly then glanced down at the floor. He could not lie because they would know. “And in the garden, he kissed me some.”

“You were kissing the Pakhan?”

“The Pakhan was kissing me,” Yuuri corrected. 

“You know you are not allowed to kiss people, Yuuri. By order of the Oyabun.” Morooka sounded regretful. 

“It did not seem prudent to say no to the Pakhan.” 

“Instead, you chose to disobey the Oyabun.” 

Yuuri looked down at the ground, he did not allow himself to glance at Phichit. “It was a no-win situation.”  
_________________________________________________________________________________________  
“You know the punishment for disobedience.” Morooka began to unbuckle his belt. Last time he had been hit twenty-five time. He had no doubt this time it would be more.

“I do. Will you let me take my dress off first? I do not want it destroyed.”

“Of course, Yuuri. The Oyabun did pay for the dress.”  
________________________________________________________________________________________  
***

“Wait,” Mila had a positively evil grin on her face. “Your little beta turned out to be a smoking hot omega?” 

Sara was sitting across Mila’s lap and they were feeding each other bites of the breakfast that Victor had ordered for everyone. They were all gathered in the main room of his suite. 

“Hmmmm,” Victor hummed noncommittally. Sara laughed. “Fine, fine, yes. That’s exactly what happened.”

“And now he wants to play some coy little sex game with you?” Christophe arched an eyebrow.

“No, that is not at all what he wants.” 

“No.” Sara giggled. “That’s what Victor wants.” 

“Are we sure this omega can be trusted?” Mikael asked. He was older than most of the people in the room. He was technically Victor’s third after Chris, but he was a leftover from Yakov’s days as Pakhan and he sometimes annoyed Victor more than supported him. 

“I would have smelled it on him if he were lying. The Japanese are absolute asses to their omegas and they don’t allow them to cover all their scent glands. Only enough that their scents do not travel. I was close to him. I would have known if he was lying.” 

Otabek who rarely spoke nodded slowly. “We could use the resources he is offering.” 

“Especially the connection with the Leroy’s.” Chris ate some of his breakfast and smiled. “If he can get that he is worth his weight in gold.” 

“That seems like a big if.” Mikael took a sip of his drink. “It seems like a lot for a group of omegas.”

“Meaning what exactly?” Gosha asked, Gosha and Mikael often butted heads since Mikael had a more traditional view of omegas. But Victor grew up with Georgi and he would always be a trusted friend. Gosha sighed. “It all seems very romantic to me. The fact that he sought you out after all this time. You must have really made an impression. What did you do Victor?” 

“Castrated the mother-fucker who touched him without his consent.” 

“Awwww,” Mila, Sara, and Gosha all said at the same time. Chris snorted with laughter. 

“Does he know that?” Chris asked. 

Mikael cleared his throat. “Victor.” There was a censure in his voice. Victor chose to ignore it. Mikael had disapproved of his interest in Yuuri since the beginning. He wanted Victor to bond with his incredibly young, very sheltered, omega daughter. 

Victor sat up a little straighter. “I offered to kill someone for him last night, he seemed to think I was joking.”

This brought another round of “Awwww’s” 

“He’s a sweet innocent little bean.” Mila said, just before she licked the drips from cantaloupe off Sara’s fingers. 

“Until you all get a hold of him,” a grumpy voice said as Yura walked into the room. “No one stays innocent for long around you fuckers.” 

“Language, Yura. Would you think it was romantic if Bekka offered to kill someone for you?” Victor asked his younger cousin. 

Yura snorted. “I’d think it was romantic if Bekka helped me pick out the best gun to kill someone with.” 

Victor threw up his hands. “I’ve failed on all fronts.” 

“Oh, Victor, you didn’t fail,” Sara said. “Your hot little omega was quite pleased with you agreeing to his plan last night. Whatever that might be.” 

“Hmmmm, yes, about that. Mila, how do you feel about reviving your role as my girlfriend for a bit.” 

“Oh, sweet gods and goddesses, I’m so glad Michelle and Emil stayed home for this trip.” Sara giggled. “Mickey hates it when Mila plays the girlfriend.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only important details you might have read around Minami Kenjiro who goes by Kenji and is Yuuri's cousin for the sake of the story is pregnant. 
> 
> And Yuuri is physically punished for spending time with Victor in the garden. 
> 
> I hope everyone is continuing to enjoy the story. Your comments and Kudos warm my heart. Thank you all so much.


	3. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hey,” the small blond Russian yelled at him after ignoring him for the entire hour they had been soaking together. “What the hell happened to him?”
> 
> “I fell on the steps.” Yuuri allowed the lie to slip from his lips. He hoped the incense would block the smell of the lie. 
> 
> “Liar.” The angry little blond spit the word out. 
> 
> For a second Yuuri felt a rush of terror. These men did not know who he was, but if they found out they might tell Victor. To his horror Phichit spoke.
> 
> “Doesn’t the Pakhan punish his omegas when they misbehave?” Phichit asked.
> 
> _____________________________________  
> The aftermath of Yuuri being abused by the Yakuza.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for the positive comments and Kudos. They warm my heart and make me want to keep writing at a point when I was at the verge of giving it up forever. I appreciate you all so much for reading. The story is pages away from being done on paper and I am off work for two weeks so I plan to finish it while I am off work. I may also post some extra chapters over the next two weeks since I am off work and may have the extra time. :-) Winter break is most wonderful thing. 
> 
> I don't think that there are any trigger warnings in this chapter, just the aftermath of Yuuri's abuse. If I missed any I apologize. Please feel free to correct me and I will edit accordingly. 
> 
> As always this is un-betaed. Any mistakes are mine and mine alone. Please do not post to another site.

This part of the spa was designated for omegas only. Phichit dragged Yuuri down after lunch to soak in the mineral rich water and breath in the incense infused air. There were only two other omegas in the area. They spoke to each other in quiet Russian. 

Phichit had hoped that the water would help Yuuri feel better before the formal dinner tonight. As they got out of the water Phichit helped Yuuri stand. For a moment, his back was fully exposed to the two Russians before Phichit helped him into a robe. 

“Hey,” the small blond Russian yelled at him after ignoring him for the entire hour they had been soaking together. “What the hell happened to him?”

“I fell on the steps.” Yuuri allowed the lie to slip from his lips. He hoped the incense would block the smell of the lie. 

“Liar,” The angry little blond spit the word out. 

For a second Yuuri felt a rush of terror. These men did not know who he was, but if they found out they might tell Victor. To his horror Phichit spoke.

“Doesn’t the Pakhan punish his omegas when they misbehave?” Phichit asked.

“First, the Pakhan saves torture for his enemies. Second, he does not see the omegas in the Bratva as ‘his’. They are simply omegas. Finally, my name is Georgi. It is a pleasure to meet you both.” The older omega said opening the door for them to introduce themselves. But the younger blond Russian jumped in. 

“Yeah, if someone needs correction, he finds other ways to do it.” The small blond snapped. “And if they need to be killed, he makes it quick. Unless they hurt his family or someone he loves.”

“Yes,” The older man smiled an almost dreamy smile. “He loves his family, and you do not hurt his family, or anyone else he loves.” 

Yuuri felt the color drain from his face. Would Victor see his actions as hurting the family he came from? Would he never really trust Yuuri because he betrayed that Yakuza. 

“Yuuri,” Phichit’s voice cut through his spiraling thoughts. He stood next to Yuuri wearing a robe of his own now. “We should go get a nap before dinner.” 

“Hold it.” The little blond was out of the water marching toward them a towel wrapped around his waist. “You’re Yuuri?”

Yuuri stood a little straighter. In the end it did not really matter what the Pakhan thought of Yuuri. As long as he stuck to the plan and helped him get his friends out. 

The small omega turned and spoke to the older omega in Russian. He shook his head. The blond spun back around and glared at him with flashing green eyes. “You didn’t have bruises last night.”

“How would you know? You didn’t meet me last night.” Yuuri cast a nervous glance around the room. The young Russian followed his gaze around the room. 

“We’re alone in here, you can tell me the truth. Did you have those bruises when you met Victor?” 

“No.” Yuuri stood up straight and looked the younger boy in the eye. 

“You knew this would happen?”

“It was an acceptable risk.” 

“Victor wouldn’t think so.” Georgi approached dressed in a robe.

“Well, Victor,” Phichit spat out the name. “Doesn’t need to know.” 

“He’s the Pakhan,” The younger blond said.

“And you tell him every little thing you do?” Phichit asked. 

“This is different,” Georgi argued. 

“It’s only different because it is not yours to tell. It’s Yuuri’s If you tell you are violating Yuuri’s privacy and the sanctity of this place,” Phichit accused.

The two Russians looked at each other and Yuuri almost felt sorry for them. 

“But if we don’t tell him and he finds out in an unpleasant way we get our metaphorical asses handed to us,” Georgi said. 

Yuuri could not help wondering what Victor did if he did not use physical violence to punish his people. He had made it clear years ago Dimitri would be punished. Did he deny his omegas food, the Oyabun did that sometimes if they were all being too un-“omega like”, or if he thought they were gaining too much weight? They were usually kept to a strict diet but so far at the summit they were free to eat what they wanted. 

Maybe Victor used verbal degradation. Yuuri thought that might be worse than being beaten with a belt. 

“You have to do what is best for you,” Yuuri’s shoulders dropped. “I understand, come on Peach, let’s go get a nap.” '

He grabbed Phichit’s arm and dragged him out the back hall to the omega only changing room. There he and Phichit changed into sweats then headed upstairs into their room. Phichit gave him a couple of anti-inflammatories and Yuuri flopped face down on his bed to try to nap. 

But his brain spun out in a million different directions. Victor was known as the “living legend” of Russia. He took over as the youngest Pakhan of the Russian Bratva five years ago when the old Pakhan, his adopted father started having heart problems. 

Many people questioned his rise to power, both enemies and allies. But Victor had crushed every single challenge to his authority. He was brutal and cold. Eliminating enemies with merciless and decisive force. Within months no one questioned his authority. 

He was also a ruthless negotiator and always got the best deal for the Bratva. He had increased their income both legal and illegal tenfold over the past five years.   
Phichit was right, at some point the Pakhan would have to discipline his people. Particularly his omegas it was how an alpha kept control. 

When Yuuri initially told the others his idea they thought he was crazy. 

“Yuuri,” Isabella said. “Going from Japan to Russia might be worse. I’ve never met him, but I’ve heard that the Pakhan has an angry, cruel, streak. You would not want that aimed at you.” 

Even his mother feared him trying to attract the Pakhan’s attention. He told her in a quiet conversation as they walked alone on the beach in Hasetsu. “Yuuri, if this is something that you want to do you must always please him. The moment you stop pleasing him you will be dead. I don’t want to lose my son.” 

But neither of them met the Victor he met on the beach that night six years ago. The man who made Dimitri stop targeting him for unwanted attention. The alpha who thanked him for serving tea. 

Yuuri did not really expect to “please” Victor. With his glasses, messy hair, and thick thighs he could never hope to interest the beautiful, powerful, Pakhan. He could never please him. The Pakhan was doing him a favor for some unknown reason. Perhaps because it amused him. 

He would make sure his friends benefitted from it even if it did eventually cost him his life. 

***

“Oyi, Victor!” Yura crashed into Victor’s suite with Georgi on his heels. 

“I should never have given out the key to this room,” Victor muttered. 

Mila chuckled. Earlier a young beta named Phillip knocked politely to introduce the beta girl he met from the Italian mafia. Phillip, not part of the inner circle did not have a key. But Victor was still beginning to feel like the room had a revolving door. 

Yura grabbed an apple and flopped on the sofa in the sitting room. “Met your omega.”

“Oh, you met Yuuri.”

“Not that impressed. He seems like a bit of a doormat to me.” 

Silence fell over the room. Victor blinked twice trying to figure out what that actually meant in Yura speech. 

“So…you’re worried about him… because something happened, he didn’t like?” He finally ventured. 

“Well duh, that’s what I said isn’t it?”

Mila snorted with laughter and turned back to where Sara was painting her toes. 

“Tell me what happened.”

Georgi stepped forward. “Victor, remember that this is a different culture with different rules. We’ve run into that in the past during contract negotiations.” Georgi spoke quietly and calmly. He was a lawyer and made sure all the legal sides of their businesses were pristine. He also reviewed all contracts for loopholes, even the illegal ones. The Japanese did not like dealing with an omega lawyer. Especially one as skilled as Georgi. 

“What exactly have we run into?” Victor asked trying to keep the anger from his voice. Whatever happened it was not Georgi or Yura’s fault. 

“They beat him,” Yura blurted. “Last night after he was with you. Because he spent time with you. He knew it would happen. He called it an ‘acceptable risk’”

Victor’s brain shut down at the words ‘beat him’. He snarled in rage and lunged from his seat to begin pacing a short circuit around the room. He tried to process the rest of what Yura had told him. 

Someone had dared to lay a hand on his omega. That was all he could think, and he was not there to protect him. He was not there to comfort him and take care of him. He could not protect him. Yet. He would change that. 

“What would the Oyabun do if you showed up and told him you wanted Yuuri as your omega?” Mila asked.

“He would probably give him to me. But his friends would be lost. He needs to stay with the Yakuza as long as possible so he can get the information from Kenji about the shipment. He and Phichit are meant to be sent to where Kenji and Isabella are right after the second banquet. He hopes that he can use his relationship with me to keep him here longer.”

“Okay,” Sara slicked polish over one of Mila’s fingernails. It was a deep rich red. “But do you really care about these other omegas? I mean an alliance with the Leroy’s would be nice …but…” 

“But they are beating your mate.” Mila interrupted.

Mikael snorted, “He’s not Victor's mate. He’s just some omega Victor finds interesting.” 

Victor stopped pacing and turned to glare at Mikael. For several heart beats the two simply locked gazes until the Mikael dropped his gaze. Then he looked between Mila and Sara. He knew what they were doing. They were deliberately provoking him. Giving him the chance to examine his own emotions. 

No one deserved the fates that Yuuri had described awaited his friends. But if he was honest with himself given only that Victor probably wouldn’t wait and try to save them. Yuuri asked him to though, and he would do almost anything for Yuuri. 

Even if the omega didn’t understand that yet. 

“Yuuri would care very much if I did not help his friends. I believe it is the only thing that gave him the courage to come and talk to me.” 

“We can’t just let them keep beating him!” Yura exploded off the sofa and threw the core of the apple into the nearby trash can. “He might have some kind of warped idea that what he’s doing is noble because it protects his friends. But if they keep hitting him like that there won’t be an omega to claim at the end of the summit.” 

“Hmmm.” Victor tapped his lips in a thoughtful gesture. This obviously struck a nerve with his young cousin. Yura had never experienced omega cruelty firsthand before. “Tonight, after the formal dinner I’m to meet Yuuri in the gardener’s shed. Make sure Ivan and Petrov have cleared the garden in that area. I want Alexei watching Yuuri. Sara you will be with me. 

“What about me?” Mila fake pouted and held up her hand to blow on her nails.

“Ah, darling, I’ll be abandoning you to the care of my very dear friend Chris. Don’t worry at all. He will take very good care of you I am sure.” Victor winked at Mila. “Georgi, can you get into the shed at some point today and leave some of Emil’s magic bruise cream?”

Georgi snorted at Victor’s name for the astringent their omega doctor Emil created that did wonders for bruising “I can do that. We brought some in the first aid kit right?” 

“I told Emil to pack two jars. You never know when someone is going to end up with a black eye.” Victor said. 

***

Yuuri and Phichit were both dressed in formal Kimono’s tonight along with the five other female omegas who were unmated and at the summit. Their metal collars and cuffs were uncovered showing their unmated status. They were to be presented one by one to the Oyabun. 

Yuuri was the first to enter the room with the Oyabun. He bowed respectfully and kept his hands folded in front of him and his eyes lowered to the ground. 

“Yuuri, you look like you have gained weight. This is not attractive trait in an omega. Your diet will be restricted to help you be a better omega.” 

“Yes, Oyabun”

“I have also heard that the Pakhan has showed some interest in you. Is this true?”

“We danced…and... he kissed me.”

The man nodded. “You are honest. That is good. Your punishment has been served this time you will not be punished again for this event. You know what you have to do to avoid future punishment.” 

“Thank you, Oyabun.” 

“You may go.”

“Thank you, Oyabun.”

Yuuri slipped out of the room and waited just outside for Phichit. His presentation was brief. 

“Well?” Yuuri asked.

“He told me he has been pleased with my behavior thus far at the summit. He thinks I am a calming influence on you.”

“Good I am glad it went well for you. For me too.”

“What did he say?”

“The usual. He put me on a diet. But he never said I should stay away from the Pakhan or not to talk to him.” He smiled at Phichit. “He implied it. He implied I would be punished again if I spent time with him. But he never outright told me not to spend time with the Pakhan.”

Phichit grinned back at him. 

They walked together to the formal dining hall. People had begun to mill around waiting for the dinner that night. Everyone was checking the tables to find their name. Yuuri heard a bright peal of happy laughter and turned to see a Victor with a beautiful redhead on his arm walking into the room. 

To his surprise he recognized the woman. She was the same woman from the beach that night. Had they been together all this time? She clutched his arm and he smiled at her indulgently.   
Yuuri looked away and continued to search for his name. Phichit found his at a table with a mix of some Russians and some Italians. Of course, the idea was to mingle. Yuuri continued moving around the room. His face paled as he approached the Pakhan’s table.

He saw his name there. Next to it was Mari’s. Sweet gods and goddesses could this get any worse? 

He bowed when the Pakhan looked in his direction then waited behind his chair. An unmated omega did not sit until all the alphas were seated. Mated omegas could sit after their alphas. 

The room filled with more and more people. Finally, the Oyabun entered the room. He was seated at a table in the center of the room. The Oyabun’s table had just as much of a mix of people as all the other tables. 

The heads of the respective criminal organizations took their seats. Mari appeared at his side. She took her seat as did most of the other alphas, betas, and omegas in the room. Only the unmated Japanese omegas were still standing. They sat last. The difference was notable. 

The first course was brought out to the table. It was a delicious looking seafood chowder. The server did not give Yuuri a bowl. 

“Want a bite of mine?” Mari asked in Japanese.

“It isn’t worth getting us both in trouble,” Yuuri replied. 

“Excuse me.” Yuuri looked up sharply when Victor stopped the server. “You forgot to give that young man his soup.” 

Yuuri tried to catch Victor’s eye to shake his head. But the Pakhan was not looking at him. 

“No Sir,” the server said, “We were told he is on restricted diet.” 

Finally, Victor looked over at Yuuri. His gaze scanned over his face and chest. Yuuri felt his face turning red. He gave the barest shake of his head. The Pakhan gave a smile that was more a baring of teeth. Yuuri felt his stomach drop. He was glad he did not have any food to eat. 

“Ah, yes, I see. Of course, he is. My mistake.” 

Everyone was eating in silence for a few minutes Yuuri kept his eyes on the table. Then the redhead practically bounced in her seat. “Oh, oh, I know. What if we go around the table and introduce ourselves? I will go first. My name is Mila. I am Victor’s date. We have dated on and off for years, but I am thinking that this time we can make it stick.” She grinned. “Now you go Victor.” 

“My, my, Mila, demanding tonight, aren’t we?” Yuuri looked up in time to see Victor wink at her. She smiled and blushed. “I’m the Pakhan of the Russian Bratva.”

Introductions went around the table. Victor’s bodyguard Sara. A mated Italian pair Rico and Lissa. Then they came to Mari.

She cleared her throat. “This is my younger brother Yuuri. He is an unmated omega and therefore does not speak unless directly spoken to when an alpha is present. That is our tradition in the Yakuza. I am Mari. It is a pleasure to meet all of you.”

The main course came. Plates full of sushi, thinly sliced pieces of seared steak and roasted vegetables in in a thick sauce. It smelled so good Yuuri’s mouth watered. Then they placed the plate in front of Yuuri It was full of lettuce. 

Yuuri understood now why the Oyabun had him seated at this table; to humiliate him in front of the Pakhan. And to remind him of his place. He could not look up from his plate. He could not even lift his hands to pick up his chopsticks.

“Eat Yuuri.” Mari nudged his leg under the table and spoke in Japanese.

“My stomach is upset.” He replied in Japanese.

“If you don’t eat…” Mari said continuing to speak in Japanese. She let the words hang. 

Yuuri looked up and immediately regretted it. His eyes met an ocean blue gaze that was stormy with anger. He swallowed hard and forced his hand to move. He picked up his chopsticks. 

***

It was physically painful to watch Yuuri eating his dinner. Mila kept up a stream of cheerful meaningless chatter around the table and he participated when she involved him. She very intentionally never engaged Yuuri although she addressed Mari several times. 

Yuuri was too far away for him to catch his scent. But when he looked up right before he started eating, Yuuri looked embarrassed and scared. 

Sweet Yuuri, he did not understand yet. Victor was not angry at him. He was angry for him. 

Dinner seemed interminably long but it finally came to an end. He sent Sara to remind Yuuri to meet him in the gardeners shed. In case he forgot, or thought Victor no longer wanted him to come.

He watched Yuuri slip out the garden door trailed closely by Alexei. He moved over to where Chris stood, “Mila, Chris, will you excuse me for a minute while I attend to some business.” 

Chris smirked, but Mila looked at him with sad bright eyes. “I think it is very important business, Victor.” She said softly.

Victor smiled at her. He slipped out the garden door followed by Sara. The shed was all the way in the back of the garden off the path lit by the lanterns. It had no windows, and the inside was lit by a single hanging light bulb. 

When Victor arrived, it was still dark in the shed as he stepped inside. “Yuuri?”

He heard a quiet breath, almost a sniffle but not quite. He reached up and pulled on the light as soon as the door was closed. Yuuri had been sitting on the single stool but as soon as the light came on he scrambled to get up. He stood in a submissive position, head bent to the side, eyes down. 

Well, that was not what he wanted at all. But for now, it might work to his advantage. 

“Take your kimono off, Yuuri.” 

Yuuri’s head snapped up and he looked at him with huge brown eyes. His scent full of surprise and fear. 

“Now Yuuri.”

Victor walked over to one of the tables, turning his back to Yuuri. He picked up the salve that Georgi had left in the shed earlier. When he turned back around Yuuri stood clutching the Kimono to his chest. He wore only a pair of soft white leggings. 

“Thank you for trusting me Yuuri. Turn around.” 

“What are you doing?” Yuuri finally asked, but he turned his back to Victor.

“I’m going to treat your bruises. This is a salve our doctor made, and it works miracles on bruises.” Victor opened the jar. “Sorry if it is a little cold.” 

“Victor, you should not… I mean… you are the Pakhan. You should not treat my bruises. I’m …I’m just Yuuri.” He sucked in a breath at the first touch of the cold ointment to his back.   
Victor kept his touch light, not wanting to hurt Yuuri.

“Yuuri I often help treat the wounded if there has been a battle. A good leader should take care of his people.” 

“Oh,” He could smell the confusion in Yuuri’s scent. “You looked angry at dinner.” 

“I was angry at dinner. I’m still quite angry.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Why are you apologizing. I’m not angry at you.” 

“I don’t understand.” 

“I’m mad at your Oyabun for treating you this way. For treating all the omegas in his organization this way. It’s wrong that is all there is to it.”

Victor was smoothing his hand up and down Yuuri’s bare back letting his fingers drift to his sides without conscious thought. Keeping his touch light as he spread the ointment over his bruised shoulders and back. The bruises disappeared into his leggings and Victor just barely brushed his fingers inside. He heard Yuuri’s sharp intake of breath. And smelled the change in his scent.

Yuuri was interested. Good. That was exactly how he wanted him.

“All right solnyshko, get dressed.” Victor turned away and wiped his hand on a rag then put the lid on the salve. 

He turned to find Yuuri fastening the obi around his kimono. “Victor… I…I know that I’m betraying the Oyabun, but I would never hurt you.”

“Yuuri, for starters, the Oyubun and Yakuza betrayed you. You are simply escaping with your life. Second, I do not think you are capable of hurting anyone on purpose. Really, Yuuri, I suspect you were born into wrong family.” 

Yuuri’s eyes narrowed. “I know how to handle a gun. Phichit taught me.” 

Victor could not stop himself, he actually snickered.

“Oh my gods!” Yuuri rolled his eyes. “You are ridiculous.”

“Come on Yuuri, that was funny.”

“If you were twelve.”

Victor grinned at Yuuri. There was a noise outside the shed. Victor gazed down at Yuuri. “Are you ready for this?”

Yuuri nodded and licked his lips. Victor smiled at the subconscious gesture. He moved in close, slid one hand behind Yuuri’s head and put the other on his hip. He let his fingers play with the soft silky hair at the base of Yuuri’s skull. He leaned in slowly, giving Yuuri plenty of time to push him away and did what he had been dying to do since yesterday.

He took Yuuri’s lower lip between his and nipped it gently then soothed over it with his tongue. When Yuuri gasped in surprise he used the excuse to slip his tongue into his mouth. 

For a heartbeat Yuuri did not move or respond. Then he melted into Victor, his hands sliding up Victor's shoulders and a small sound coming from the back of his throat. Victor wanted to hear that sound again. Yuuri’s mouth opened further, and he tentatively responded to the kiss. Victor licked into Yuuri’s mouth again and drew his tongue into his mouth sucking on it and dragging another moan from Yuuri. 

The door to the shed crashed open.

Victor pulled back slowly, eyes on Yuuri. He smelled like arousal and the scent of the cinnamon was rich in his scent. The arousal was positively addictive. He wanted to smell that scent for the rest of his life. Yuuri’s cheeks flushed red under his gaze. Of course, he must know Victor could smell him. Embarrassment crept into his scent. 

“Yuuri, what the fuck is going on here?” He recognized Mari’s voice from dinner. He lifted his gaze and found Mari he saw she was with another woman. 

She was Japanese but not strictly speaking Yakuza. She was a freelance assassin who did work for the Yakuza sometimes but had never contracted for the Bratva in the past.

The older woman spoke to Yuuri in Japanese. She offered to kill Victor in his sleep and make it look like a natural death. His eyes widened. 

“No, no, no. Minako-sensei. Please don’t.” Yuuri replied in English. 

She sized Victor up and he felt like a bug on a slide. “Yuuri has asked me not to kill you. So, I won’t. Tonight.” 

He wondered when it would be a good time to mention to Yuuri that he spoke Japanese, along with French and Italian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you again for all the comments and Kudos. It makes my heart warm and makes me want to keep writing. Thank you again.


	4. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a rough. I am not going to lie. There is a shovel talk and some torture in this chapter. 
> 
> It is not good for Yuuri. He has a rough time in this chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am posting an extra chapter this week because I am off work and I have some extra time. I am done the story on paper. I just need to get it all into the computer. I am editing as I go. I hope you all continue to enjoy the story. Thank you for your comments and Kudos, they warm my heart and make me want to keep writing. 
> 
> I do not have a beta reader so any mistakes are purely mine and I apologize in advance. If you see anything glaring feel free to let me know. 
> 
> Please do not post to another site. 
> 
> Trigger warnings  
> There is torture in this chapter. I have marked it off if you don't want to read it and summarized at the end of the chapter.
> 
> Thank you for reading.

“Minako-sensei, why are you here? I thought you were dancing with the New York ballet?” Yuuri asked. 

“Your mother asked me to come home for a few weeks.” Minako looked from Yuuri to Victor. Victor had moved so he was standing half in front of Yuuri. “She was worried about you.” 

“So, she called an assassin?” Victor sounded confused.

“No,” Yuuri clarified, “She called my godmother. Mari, Minako-sensei, come in and close the door. Victor would you mind terribly giving me a few minutes alone to talk with my sister and my godmother.”

Victor smiled, exactly like they talked about. “Of course, Yuuri,” He practically purred the words. Lifting Yuuri’s hand and kissing his knuckles. “I have a date to get back to anyway.” He winked at Yuuri and Yuuri thought his insides might melt.

“If you’ll excuse me ladies.” He brushed past Mari and Minako with a bright smile that did not look real painted across his face.

The moment the door closed Mari spun on Yuuri, “Start talking, little brother.” 

Yuuri knew she would not turn him in for kissing Victor. She would have tried to sneak him food at dinner earlier if he let her. Mari did not care about secondary genders. She just wanted her baby brother happy. 

“They plan to sell me to an American crime lord who has had two omega mates before me. They both died under…questionable … circumstances.” 

“How do you know?” Minako asked.

“Kenji found the auction negotiation. He was able to get info on all the buyers except Isabella’s. Including his own.”

“Shit, Yuuri.”

“They are selling Phichit to a harem. A harem Mari! He will be so unhappy.”  
\  
Mari’s face fell and she looked utterly defeated. She was not high enough in the Yakuza to do anything to stop this. 

“To prevent that you jump into bed with the Pakhan?” Minako askes

“Metaphorically speaking.”

“That didn’t look like a metaphor, Yuuri.” It was an accusation. 

“He agreed to help rescue us. This,” Yuuri waved his hand around the shed. “It’s part of the plan.”

“Your plan?” Mari asked.

“Yes.” 

Mari nodded and she reached into her pocket and pulled out a package of cigarettes. “You always come up with the best plans. But Yuuri, what makes you think that the Pakhan doesn’t have a trail of dead omegas behind him?” 

“The Pakhan is the only one strong enough to protect us. He detests human trafficking. Based on that I knew there was a possibility that he would be willing to help. But do you remember when the summit was at Yu-topia?”

“Yeah.” She pulled in a long drag on her cigarette. “What’s that got to do with anything.”

“I met Victor, back then. It was a strange night, and I was out on the beach alone. He came out there with a girl. It is the same girl he is here with tonight. She admitted that they were in an on and off relationship. He obviously does not kill people if he breaks up with them.” 

Minako listened to all this with crossed arms and narrowed eyes. “Did you talk to him?”

“Excuse me?”

“That night on the beach? Did you talk to him?”

“Oh, uhm, yes. He actually did me a favor. That’s uhm, that’s why I thought I could ask him for help with this.”

“Yuuri, you understand that most people, when someone does them a favor feel in debt to that person. Not like they can go to that person and demand more help.” Mari rolled her eyes.

Yuuri flushed. “I…I didn’t demand. I don’t think I did.”

“Don’t worry Yuuri. I’m sure if the Pakhan wanted to say no he is more than capable.” Minako grinned. “What do you need from us?”

“Well for starters don’t kill Victor.” 

“Fine, I won’t kill him I will just give him a stern talking to.” 

Yuuri rolled his eyes. 

“You think I’m joking, but I’m your godmother, I get to give the shovel talk Yuuri,”

“Minako-sensei, please don’t do anything that will make Victor change his mind. We need him.” 

“Fine, I’ll do my best not to piss him off.” 

“Thank you.”

Mari blew another stream of smoke into the air. “What else can I do for you?” 

“For now, nothing really. I just have to make it obvious that the Pakhan has some interest in me and only Victor can do that. Later in the summit we will get caught. I might need some support then but right now the plan is all through the Russians.”

“You trust them?”

“I have to.”

“What is going to happen?” Mari asked.

“Victor’s girlfriend will find evidence of us being together. She will publicly break up with him over his relationship with me.” 

Mari nodded. “That will force the Oyabun’s hand. Especially if Victor makes a big deal of it.”

“Which he will.”

“The Oyabun will be honor bound to repair the damage done. The best way to do that will be to gift him with the omega that caused the trouble to begin with. Clever Yuuri. How are you staying in touch with Kenji?” Mari asked.

“I’ve been calling mom from the hotel phone and she lets me talk to him.” 

“I only have one more question.” Minako tilted her head and watched Yuuri through narrow eyes. “How far do you plan to go with that boy? Or are you just planning to lead him on indefinitely?”

“Minako!” Yuuri cried out shocked. “Victor isn’t interested in me like that.” 

“Bullshit, Victor would take you to bed so fast it would make your head spin if you told him you were a sure thing.” 

Yuuri felt the color creeping into his cheeks. “If that is what Victor wants. I do not really have any skills to repay him with.”

“Hmmmm.” Minako watched him thoughtfully. “All right, I will support this. For now. But if I suspect you are in danger I will intervene.” 

“We will intervene.” 

“Thank you, Mari, thank you, Minako-sensei. I appreciate you both deeply.” 

***

“Victor there is a frightening woman here to see you.” Chris announced late that night. “I told her to come back tomorrow and she told me she can make sure I don’t see tomorrow. I believe her.”

“Show her in, Chris.”

Minako Okukawa strode into the room. Her gaze swept over the few people left in the room. Georgi, Mikael, Chris, Yura, and Beka. “Almost half the people in this room are omegas.”

“Does that bother you?” Victor asked. 

“That depends. Are they your omegas?” 

“Ewww, - don’t be gross.” Yura snapped. “Victor is an old man.”

“And your cousin,” Bekka pointed out.

“And Georgi is my lawyer.” Victor said

“In that case, I’m here to tell you that I’m available to the Bratva for hire.” 

Victor arched an eyebrow. Minako had never worked for the Bratva before. “That is sudden and unexpected.” 

“Well, it shouldn’t be. Yuuri is my godson. If you plan to take him to Russia, I will of course work for the Bratva so I can be near him.”

“And protect him from me?” Victor asked.

Minako laughed. “Yuuri doesn’t need protection from you. If anything, I suspect it is the other way around.” She tilted her head. “Isn’t it?”

“Is that a threat against the Pakhan?” Mikael demanded. 

Victor stared at Minako. Without answering. 

“Hmmmm…. That is what I thought. That said, you hurt him, I know a hundred ways to kill you and make it look like a natural death. Or worse, I know a at least thirty ways to make you impotent for the rest of your life.” 

“Victor, she is openly threatening you. Are you going to stand for that?” 

“Mikael shut up. This is a conversation between Lady Okukawa and I. Tell me, why not just make these threats to the Oyabun? Prevent Yuuri from being sold?”

“First I couldn’t protect all the people Yuuri cares about. Second, the Oyubun would have me killed within a matter of hours if I threatened him.” 

“What makes you think I won’t.”

“Ah, well, you are in love with Yuuri, so you understand that this is the mandatory shovel talk from his godmother. Also, I am a layer of protection between Yuuri and the outside world, you would never want to eliminate that.” 

Victor considered her for a long moment. “Do you drink vodka?” 

“I prefer sake, but I’ll make do.” 

Victor went over to the bar and returned with an unopened bottle of vodka and two shot glasses. He opened the bottle and poured two shots. Both drank their shots before Minako spoke again. 

“Did Lilia teach you to dance?”

He poured them each another shot.

“Yes, when I was young. She said it would help me in my hand-to-hand fighting. I took lessons with her until I was well into my teens.” 

“Yuuri loves to dance. He is very good. His mother and I were both training together as ballerinas before she presented. She presented late too you know. Hiroko is my best friend.”

She placed down her empty glass and nodded for a refill. 

Victor poured them both another shot. “There is a studio at the mansion where Lilia still dances. Yuuri is welcome to use it whenever he wishes.”

Minako smiled. “You will have to make sure he knows that. He might think it is off limits since he is an omega.”

“Lilia is an omega. So am I, and I dance all the time?” Yura snapped.

“But you are the Pakhan’s cousin and Lilia is the former Pakhan’s mate.” 

“It is good for an omega to understand their place. My daughter would never dance there without permission,” Mikael said. 

Georgi clicked his tongue. “Is he really so clueless?” 

“He questions his own worth.” Minako threw back the shot and sat the glass on the table. Nodding for another shot. “Hiroko was not part of the Yakuza. She was simply a ballerina. Then Toshiyo saw her dance and decided he wanted her. As a beta the Ballet Company gave her some protection. Then she presented and within three months she was married and mated to Toshiyo.”

She tossed back her shot. Placed her glass down and indicated for another. Victor arched an eyebrow but filled both glasses. “Please, I can drink you under the table any night Nikiforov.”

Victor smiled as he picked up his glass. “I like you. You should come and visit Yuuri often.” He tilted his glass in a salute to her before he threw back the shot.

“I will. Lilia will no doubt be glad to see me too. We danced together in St. Petersburg for a while. She was so happy to get you.” 

Victor’s mother was Lilia’s cousin. She had neglected Victor severely in his early years. Lilia fought for custody and when he was three Yakov and Lilia officially adopted Victor. 

He had only a few sparse memories of his life before the Bratva. They were all unpleasant. 

“She always made me feel valued and wanted,” Victor said.

“Pfff, she adores you. Just like Hiroko adores Yuuri. Listen, Hiroko is afraid you will get tired of Yuuri and replace him. Pass him around to your men. Or worse, just kill him. Before you tell me how ridiculous her fears are remember the reputation you’ve built. And think about this – that American Yuuri is supposed to be going to had two mates and three lovers in the past six years. Of them only one is still alive his current lover. The alpha Phichit is being sent to is known for sharing his harem with his guests. Hiroko has good reason to be afraid. But her son told her you are their only way out and she believes him.”

Victor refilled both their shot glasses before he replied. “My reputation was built on how I dealt with threats to the Bratva, my family, and my leadership. Not on how I dealt with omegas.”

Minako lifted her glass but did not drink it right away. “Here in Japan things are changing slowly for omegas. Within the Yakuza they are changing even slower. If you have the ability to be cruel to your enemies you have the ability to be cruel to an omega, because here they lose their personhood on presentation.”

She threw back her shot and Victor considered her words while looking into his own glass. Yuuri had lost his personhood yet he dared approach Victor to ask for a favor. “Yuuri trusts me.” He said it like a revelation. 

Minako grinned. “Yes, now you get it.” 

Victor threw back his shot and smiled, a real smile, at the older alpha female. “Will you tell his mother I would never harm my mate?”

Minako smiled and sat her shot glass down upside down on the table. “I will, I will also promise lots of visits that she cannot do herself. I suspect you two will be incredibly happy together.” 

***

Yuuri did not see Victor for the next three days. This did not surprise Yuuri really. Victor was the Pakhan and he was a Yakuza omega. The lovely female omegas were serving tea and meals. Even Phichit had been called to serve tea to one meeting but the Oyabun had banished Yuuri and his thick thighs. 

The Oyabun had him on a strict diet. He was eating lettuce salads and drinking water with every meal. His stomach ached with hunger at night when he went to bed. 

It was late and he and Phichit were alone in their room. “You know what we should do?” Phichit asked, thumbing through some money. “We should sneak out to the vending machines and get a late-night snack.”

“Fizzy Pop and chocolate covered raisins,” Yuuri almost groaned the words and his stomach growled at the thought. “There is no way we could get down to the first floor and the vending machines without getting caught.”

“We don’t have to. We just have to go up three floors. Look.” Phichit pulled out the hotel’s info packet and showed Yuuri the map. Sure enough, three floors up there was a vending machine room. It was a mere twenty feet from the stairwell. “We have enough money.”

Yuuri sighed and chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment as he considered. “Okay, let me check the hall. If it is clear I think that we can do this.” 

They must have landed between rotation because the hall was blessedly empty. The bolted from their room to the stairwell. When the reached the relative safety of the stairs they giggled and hushed each other. Yuuri took off his sweatshirt and put it in the door so it would not close all the way locking them in the stairwell and out of their floor. This left him only in a thin worn sleep shirt the stairwell was cold, but they would not be long. 

They hurried up the three flights of stairs. Yuuri cracked the door. He glanced toward the vending machines and did not see anyone. He pulled Phichit with him out into the hallway. They took about five steps when he heard the unmistakable sound of a gun being cocked.

“Lift your hands and turn around slowly please,” The Russian accented voice demanded. 

They did as they were asked. Yuuri found himself face to face with an older Russian man who was holding a gun level to their faces.

“Are you aware that you are trespassing on Russian territory.” 

“No,” Yuuri replied honestly. “We just wanted to use the vending machines.” 

Phichit helpfully held up the small handful of bills. “We wanted fizzy pop and chocolate covered raisins.” 

“Are you prepared to pay a tariff to take Russian good out of Russian territory?” The older man sounded far to happy about making them pay a meager amount of money. 

“I, yes, I’m sure we can work something out. How much do you want?” Yuuri asked. 

“Half the money.” 

Yuuri exchanged a look with Phichit. “If we pay half, we can get our snack and go?” Yuuri asked.

“Yuuri-“Phichit whispered but Yuuri squeezed his arm silencing him. 

“Hold it.” The man with the gun lifted it to aim directly at Yuuri’s head. “You are Yuuri?”

“I, uhm, yes I am.”

The older man smirked. “Well, this just got much more interesting. Put your money away, you’re coming with me.” 

“But…” Yuuri began.

The man stepped forward and pressed the gun against Yuuri’s temple. “I wouldn’t argue if I was you.”

Yuuri considered for a second if he had enough of a relationship with Victor to ask him for help. But maybe this was about his relationship with Victor? What if someone was unhappy with him being with Victor? Then Mari’s words came back to him that when people did you a favor you did not ask for more favors, you owed them.

She was right of course. He owed Victor twice now and he had no right at all to ask anything further of him. Instead, he swallowed hard and looked up in the man’s dark brown eyes.

“All right.” He still clung to Phichit’s arm. The tall Russian with light brown hair with patches of grey and dark brown eyes motioned them down the hall. He led them into a dark cold room that smelled of disuse. 

Not that any of the Russians really had a scent. They all used powerful scent blockers. But you could still smell the scent of “human” lingering in a room. This room smelled sterile. Fear raced up Yuuri’s spine. This was not good.   
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
“You.” He shoved the gun in Yuuri’s back. “Sit.” He indicated the chair next to the bed. Yuuri sat down on the chair and watched as he dragged Phichit over to the bed. A black bag sat at the foot of the bed the large man rummaged in the bag and pulled out some zip ties. He put a zip tie around Phichit’s wrists and ankles, then he put duck-tape over his mouth. 

Phichit hated being tied up. Yuuri did not know the whole story but it went back to his childhood and he could see the terror in his best friend’s eyes. 

The man turned to the chair with a handful of zip ties in hand. “Why are you doing this?” Yuuri asked? 

“Because someone has to get the truth out of you. I suspect it will not be Victor. He is too blinded by you, omega slut.” The insult startled Yuuri. He had met several Russian omegas and they seemed to be active in the Bratva. The man tied his legs and his arms to the chair as he spoke. “You are a threat to the Bratva. If Victor can’t see that yet I will make sure he can.”

The man rummaged in the bag again and this time he pulled out a small leather kit. Yuuri had sudden visions of torture devices and his heart began to pound. He watched as the man unrolled the kit and withdrew a syringe and a bottle. 

“What is that?” Yuuri asked. Visions of heat inducers rushed into his head and fear trickled down his spine. 

“Well, we are going to give you a little dose of Emile’s special truth serum and wait for it to kick in.” 

Yuuri watched him measure out the dose with a growing feeling of terror. “Truth serum?”

“Yes, cooked up by our doctor. In about a half an hour you will not be able to lie to me. Won’t that be fun?” The needle slipped under his skin and he felt a warmth as the needle was emptied into his arm. 

Confusions mixed with the fear creeping through his veins. “Why would I want to lie to you?”

“I don’t know the answer to that, yet. But I am going to find out. After all you are an omega whore who does not know his place. Trying to push your way into our organization where you do not belong. I don’t know what games you are playing but we will find out.” 

Then the man smiled brightly. “I will be back in half an hour.” 

The minute the door closed behind him panic set in. He felt his chest grow tight as his breathing started to come in short sharp gasps. In an attempt to control it he held his breath. His hands began to shake and sweat broke out on his body.

He looked over at Phichit and saw a panic that matched his own in Phichit’s eyes. It was so rare for Phichit to panic. Seeing him panic made Yuuri’s panic worse. For a moment, then he realized he had to help his friend. 

“Phichit, breathe through your nose. You are okay, you can still breathe. Don’t worry, I will get us out of this. All I have to do is be honest and I have not lied about anything. We will be fine.” 

Phichit sucked in a breath through his nose. Then dragged in another breath. 

“Good, just keep breathing Phichit. I know it’s hard but I’m still right here.” He looked up at the ceiling. He was feeling a little lightheaded so he closed his eyes. The drug might be affecting him a little more quickly because he’d been eating so little lately. “What do you think they want to know? I don’t really have anything to tell them.” 

He rolled his head over onto his shoulder as much as his metal collar would allow and opened his eyes to look at Phichit. “I will try very hard not to say the wrong thing. I promise.” 

He heard the click of the lock on the door. He felt loose and relaxed all over. Even if he wanted to tense up he couldn’t. Two men entered, the older alpha with the light brown hair and brown eyes and another stockier male, also alpha with a black hair and dark brown eyes. He was a bit shorter than the first man and seemed more hesitant. 

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“You are not kept around for your thinking skills Otabek. Your job is to follow orders. So, shut up and follow orders.” 

The one named Otabek frowned but did not argue again. 

“Now, are you feeling like talking?” The older alpha asked.

“Unfortunately, yes. My stomach is also upset, and I feel lightheaded.” 

“Side effects of the drug, it just means it is working. Excellent, I am going to ask you some questions and you are going to answer. If I don’t like your answer my associate is going to give you a little convincing.”

“What if the answer is true and you just don’t like it?” Yuuri asked. 

“Well, if you stick with your answer through my associates convincing and the truth serum then I guess I will know what you have to say is true.”

“Can’t you tell from my scent I am not lying?” Yuuri asked again. The serum making him much bolder than was typical for him.

“Some people are exceptionally good at controlling their scent. Scent cannot be trusted a hundred percent of the time. Enough of this. You are not the one doing the interrogating omega. It is my turn to ask the questions. What does the Oyabun hope to gain by getting omega spies into the Bratva?” 

“The Oyabun doesn’t know I am trying to get to the Bratva.” 

The man in front of him nodded to the man behind him. A sharp jolt of electricity coursed through his body from just above his collar. It seared its way down nearly knocking him unconscious. He knew he screamed. Maybe he was weak, but it hurt. 

“Let’s try again. Tell me why the Oyabun is trying to infiltrate the Bratva with omegas?” 

“He isn’t, he does not know. I swear.”

Another nod, another jolt went through his body and he cried out not quite as loud this time. His entire body felt a little bit weaker.

“Fine, it is not the Oyabun. Who are you working for? Who is paying you to get close to the Pakhan?” 

“No one is paying me.” 

The nod, then the jolt of pain. He felt like he heard himself scream from outside of himself. He was barely holding on to consciousness between the effects of the drug and the jolts of electricity they kept shocking him with.   
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Then loud angry voices pulled him back into the room, into his body. The Pakhan was striding toward him with a knife and a tall blonde hazel eyes alpha was headed toward Phichit. He also had a knife in his hand.

“Don’t hurt Phichit.” His head fell against the back of the chair as he spoke his eyes rolling from one alpha to the other. Then the Pakhan was kneeling in front of him, cutting his ankles and wrists free from the chair. He heard Phichit call his name and knew his friend must at least no longer have duct tape over his mouth. 

He tried to move and immediately started to fall forward out of the chair. The Pakhan caught him. “Your nice. Did you untie Phichit too?”

***

“Something is happening in room 712.” Yura growled as he stalked into the room. 

“That’s not possible. I didn’t authorize anything.” Victor glanced at Chris who gave a sharp shake of his head. 

“Maybe it is Mikael,” Georgi suggested. “I haven’t seen him for a while”

Victor rose from his chair followed by Chris, Yura, and Georgi. He grabbed the keycard to room 712 and stalked down the hall. Across the hall and five doors down something was definitely happening. He heard someone cry out and his skin prickled with anger. 

He used the keycard to open the door at the same time he drew a knife from a sheath on his thigh. No one should be using this room without his express permission and especially not for torture during a Peace Summit dammit. 

As he stepped into the room rage boiled over in his blood as he took in the scene. Yuuri strapped to a chair, Mikael in front of him and Otabek behind him. Electricity coursing through his body.

“What the fuck is going on here?” He snarled out the words. 

Otabek jerked the taser back away from Yuuri’s neck and Yuuri went limp in the chair his best friend was crying on the bed. Chris moved past him toward the other young boy. Victor moved toward Yuuri. 

Victor glared at Mikael. “This is unacceptable. There will be consequences.” 

He continued on toward Yuuri and saw him open his eyes. The omega’s gaze fastened on the knife. Poor sweet Yuuri. Chris was already at the bed cutting his friend free and ripping off the duct tape.

Yura glared at Otabek. “How could you?”

“I was just following orders.” 

“That’s what the Nazis said when they killed of millions of betas during the second World War. That is why Victor lets us ask questions and think for ourselves. Don’t give me that Bekka.” 

Yuuri almost fell out of the chair into his arms when he cut him loose. “You’re nice,” he said as he wrapped his arms around Victor’s waste. “Did you untie Phichit too?”

“Yes, Chris is taking care of your friend don’t worry.” He turned to glare at Mikael. “What did you give him?”

“A dose of Emil’s special truth serum. If there is anything you need to know from him, ask him now. He won’t be able to lie to you.”

“Shit,” Victor muttered. 

“Give him to me.” Phichit wiped his cheeks with the back of his sweatshirt sleeve and sniffled but refused to backdown. “Let me take him back to our room.” Phichit glared around daring everyone to argue with him.

“But Phichit,” Yuuri whined. “We never got our fizzy pop and chocolate covered raisins. Can’t we get those before we go back?”

“Is that why you came up here? To sneak food out of the vending machines?” Victor asked. 

He watched Yuuri blush as adorable shade of pink. “Yes. Oh, do you want some too?”

“No, Yuuri, we have to go back to our room,” Phichit said. “We can stop by the vending machines on our way.” 

“I would actually prefer that Yuuri stay up here until some of the worst side effects of the serum have worn off. We can also treat the minor burns on his neck. I can even get you treats from the vending machine. Phichit, if you prefer to go back to your room, I will have my personal bodyguard Sara escort you.”

“I stay with Yuuri.” 

“Don’t send him away.” Yuuri begged pulling himself closer to Victor. “Phichit is my best friend. I know,” Yuuri stood up a bit straighter and his face lit up with a smile. “He will feel better if you give him a gun.” 

“All right Yuuri, we will give Phichit a gun. Then we will all go to my suite. How about I get you some treats while you are there. Fizzy pop and chocolate covered raisins, right?” 

A slow but wicked looking smile came to Yuuri’s face, he looked up at Victor. His scent took on a bit of a spicey edge that Victor found amazingly sexy. He was lucky there were so many people in the room. 

He pointed to Mikael. “Give him his gun. He pointed it at my head.” \

“Give him your gun Mikael,” Victor ordered without taking his eyes off the omega he was holding against his body. Mikael didn’t move so Victor turned toward him and added, “Now, give him your gun now.” 

Mikael scowled and narrowed his eyes. He pulled his gun from his holster and for a split second he held it pointed at Phichit. Then he flipped it over and handed it to the omega handle first. Phichit’s eyes lit. 

“Now give me the Key card to my room and go to your room and wait, Mikael. I will give you further instructions in a few hours. And think about this. Right now, this is just between you and me. But if you do anything else to bring harm to my omega it will be between you, me, and your children.”

The threat hit home, he saw Mikael pale and the older man nodded. He had an alpha son who was coming up the ranks in the Bratva and an omega daughter he hoped to marry well in the Bratva. He would do a great deal to protect his children. Mikael handed over the key card to Victor’s suite. 

“All right, lets take this to my suite shall we?” He pulled the younger man close against his side half carrying him. Yuuri stumbled like he was drunk. Phichit walked on Yuuri’s other side gun pointed down at the ground, he moved like he was Yuuri’s bodyguard. 

Now there was a thought. 

“Chris, can you and Georgi go down to the machines get some treats for Yuuri and Phichit.”

“Of course, Mon cher, Fizzy Pop, and chocolate covered raisins yes?”

“Do you want anything else, lyubov moya?” 

“No thank you,” Yuuri sounded small and fragile in that moment. Not like a second ago when he practically ordered Victor to give Phichit Mikael’s gun. 

He leaned close and whispered against the shell of Yuuri’s ear. “What’s wrong Yuuri?”

“We are going to be punished. We have been gone too long. The late shift will have started, and they will notice us going back to our rooms.” 

“He’s right.” Phichit did not sound upset or afraid, he was just stating a fact.

“They will find out we have fizzy pop and candy and then the Oyabun will find out.” 

“What will happen Yuuri?” Victor asked. He knew he was taking advantage of the chemicals still in Yuuri’s system to get information he wanted out of him but he didn’t really care. 

“No one wants a fat omega. The Oyabun has been making sure I am ready to go to the American alpha and I am not too fat.”

Victor could not help but growl a little. Yuuri stiffened in his arms. He forced himself to reign in his anger which Yuuri would misinterpret as directed at him. He opened the door to his suite and rather than try to have Yuuri negotiate the hallway and furniture he swept him up into his arms. He heard giggling from the main room. Sara and Mila had arrived back from wherever they had been off to. 

He brought Yuuri down the hall with Yura and Phichit right behind him. Sara, who had been sitting on her mate’s lap jumped to her feet. “Victor, we were not expecting company tonight.” 

Yuuri snuggled against his chest. “You are warm.” 

Victor realized that the omega was wearing only a thin worn oversized t-shirt. The material had slid down to reveal one shoulder when he picked him up. 

“Are you cold, solnyshko?” Yuuri shivered and nodded. 

“I’ll get some blankets out of the closet.” Yura shot a glare at Otabek as he walked past him into the suite. “Is he allowed in here?”

Victor glanced over his shoulder. “For now, he’s still your bodyguard.”

“Victor, why does a strange omega have Mikael’s gun?” Mila asked.

Victor sat Yuuri down in a huge, overstuffed chair and to his surprise Phichit climbed into the chair next to him. He spoke to Yuuri in a language that was neither English nor Japanese. 

“What language is that?” Victor asked.

“Thai. My native language. The Yakuza bought me off a street gang when I was ten. But I’d been living on and off with an American ex-patriate who had been a military sniper. He started training me at five and by ten if it could move, I could shoot it.”

“Then you presented.” 

“No, then Yuuri and I became best friends. His mother basically adopted me, a scrawny little ten-year-old getting sniper training. Yuuri was two years older than me but we just clicked. We were brothers from the day we met. He taught me Japanese, I taught him Thai.”

“Then he presented,” Yuuri picked up the thread of the story. “The day before his eighteenth birthday. Maybe it is something in the water in Hasetsu that makes people present late. I presented two months later, and I was almost twenty.”

“Yuuri.” Phichit put a restraining hand on his arm. His other hand still curled around the gun. 

Yuuri shut his mouth and bit his lower lip. 

“No one has told me yet why the Thai boy has Mikael’s gun.”

Yura returned with two blankets and he handed one to Yuuri and one to Phichit. He did not seem surprised to find the two omegas sitting next to each other. 

“It’s not Mikael’s gun anymore. It is Phichit’s. Isn’t that that right Yuuri?”

Yuuri had made himself a human taco in his blanket. He looked up at Victor with wide brown eyes and he looked so innocent. Victor couldn’t seem to draw out the wicked smile he had seen for a fleeting few seconds in the other room. “He can’t take it with him. Not here in Japan.” 

“I’ll ask Chris to hold it for him until he gets to Russia. Chris likes guns.” 

Chris and Georgi walked in. They were carrying several bottles of Fizzy Pop and a few boxes of chocolate covered raisins. Yura had left the room and he returned with a black canvas bag.

Victor saw the moment that Yuuri saw each item. His eyes started to light up at the snacks, then his face shut down and he drew into the blanket at the sight of the bag. 

“Yuuri, dorogoy, Yura just has the first aid kit. There is some burn cream in there. He is going to put it on the back of your neck. It might be cold and sting a little. Are you okay with that?”

Yuuri nodded and let go of his blanket enough that Yura could pull it down and smooth some burn cream on his neck. He sat up straight again and snuggled back into the blanket. Then his eyes locked on the treats and he made grabby hands for them. 

The gesture was so endearingly adorable. Victor wanted to pick up his little Yuuri taco and snuggle him against his chest, breathing in his scent forever to make sure he was safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter. I know it was a tough chapter to read. I hope that you enjoyed it anyway. 
> 
> Summary of the marked of section:  
> Mikael gives Yuuri a shot to make him tell the truth and forces Otabek to help him torture Yuuri trying to get information out of him. Yuuri and Phichit are rescued by Victor, Chris, and Yura who is very angry at Otabek.


	5. Into Motion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri gets some comfort from Victor. Yuuri really sets his plan in motion for how he is going to rescue himself and his friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that the rating has changed this is because of a scene in the next chapter.
> 
> **Trigger Warnings:**  
> Very brief talk about suicide. - I marked it off in the text. 
> 
> I am posting this right before bed and I have no beta reader. So any and all mistakes are my own. I apologize and if you see anything glaring feel free to point it out. 
> 
> Please do not post to another site. 
> 
> Read with joy.

Yuuri snuggled into his blanket all curled around him. He and Phichit were squished together in the chair. Phichit draped his own blanket over his shoulders so he could hold the gun in one hand and Yuuri’s arm through the blanket in the other. 

The alpha named Chris and the omega named Georgi put the treats down on the table and then retreated to seats, one of them casually tossing the first aid kit on the floor. 

Yuuri felt drunk, but also hungry, and very loose and disjointed. He didn’t mean to, but he reached out and made grabby hands reaching out of his cocoon. “Grape Fizzy Pop, please.”

Victor smiled at him and Yuuri felt his face flush red. Was Victor laughing at him? Victor found a bottle of Grape, then glanced at Phichit.

“For you?”

“Grape as well,” Phichit agreed. 

Victor brought over two bottles of Grape Fizzy Pop and two boxes of chocolate covered raisins. He handed them to Yuuri and Phichit. Phichit took them in one hand. Yuuri took the treats but grabbed Victor’s wrist and pulled it to his nose.

In some part of his brain alarm bells went off. This was a bad idea. One did not grab the Pakhan to smell him, especially not an insignificant omega. He was too relaxed and to calm to care. He heard someone gasp in shock. Despite that he drew in a deep breath with his nose pressed against the scent gland in Victor’s wrist. 

It was the end of the day. He did not know any scent blockers that worked this well all day. He should be able to smell somethings. A hint of a scent or a hormone. He did not smell anything. He released Victor’s wrist with a frown still holding his snacks. “I think my nose is broken. You don’t smell like anything.” 

“None of them smell like anything,” Phichit muttered and Yuuri caught him glancing over at Chris.

“We have excellent scent blockers,” Victor explained. 

Yuuri pouted at Victor. “I want to know how you smell.”

“Yuuri.” Phichit put his food in his lap and squeezed Yuuri’s arm. He told Yuuri in Thai when they fist came in that this was his signal to stop talking. 

Yuuri continued to pout but turned his attention to the prizes in his hands. He put the soda in his lap and opened his chocolate covered raisins. He hummed in delight, he closed his eyes and grinned as he ate the first one. After three days of nothing but lettuce and water this tasted heavenly. 

He reached over and opened Phichit’s box of raisins without being asked. Victor sat on the coffee table in front of him and watched him eat. Yuuri grew increasingly more uncomfortable. 

“Why are you staring at me?”

“Your eyes are still dilated. The drug is still in your system. It is fast acting but does not last long, I’m watching for signs that it has passed. The food should help.” 

“Oh.” Yuuri looked down at the box of raisins. Of course, the Pakhan gave him food, he felt responsible for his safety.

Suddenly, he wanted very much to be back in his room away from all the Russians. He told Phichit is Thai. 

“Finish your raisins, Yuuri,” Phichit suggested back in English. Yuuri took the suggestion and ate the raisins even though he felt like a mouse in a cage being watched for an experiment. 

He finished his food and his Fizzy Pop. He handed his trash to Victor and then realized he gave a handful of trash to the Pakhan. His face flamed red. He glanced over at Phichit. He was finished too. 

“We’d like to go back to our room now,” Phichit said.

Victor looked from Phichit to Yuuri, then nodded. “I’ll escort you down the stairwell to the entrance of you floor. You can keep the gun until then.” 

Chris rose. “I will accompany you as well , mon cher.”

“I’m coming too.” Yuuri recognized Victor’s bodyguard even with her hair down and out of her suit.

“Fine lets just go.” Phichit rose letting his blanket fall to the floor.

Yuuri kept the blanket wrapped tight around him. Yuuri did not move towards Victor this time. He stayed close to Phichit and walked next to him down the hall. His steps were more stable, and he felt a little less like the time when he and Minako drank sake together. 

But as his stability returned so did a sense of shame and fear. The Pakhan did not beat people he sent jolts of electricity through their bodies. This was fine. Yuuri knew there would be something unpleasant. The Pakhan had to control his people somehow. But why Yuuri? Why now? 

Did the Pakhan really think he was working for someone else? Had the rescue been staged in hopes he would talk later in his suite? Or had he actually rescued him from someone in his group who had been acting outside of the Pakhan’s orders. 

The bodyguard led the way. Phichit and Yuuri were next and Chris and Victor brought up the rear. He could almost make out the conversation they were having.

“…scent the other one,” Chris said.

“…kidding…”  
\  
“Very odd.”

Victor laughed at this whatever was odd. 

“Does the Pakhan… what …”

“Yuuri can….whatever he wants…I’m the only one he…with.”

This time Chris laughed. 

Yuuri pulled the blanket tighter around himself. A little shiver of fear ran up his spine. What was he supposed to do with the Pakhan? Did he want him as a strategist? Yuuri had not done that type of work in years. Victor would be extremely disappointed if that was what he wanted. What if whatever he wanted Yuuri for he was not good at? Would he send Yuuri home to Japan in shame? The Oyabun would cast him out. Or sell him again. Or worse, would the Pakhan send him home in a body bag?

Well, he just had to figure out what the Pakhan wanted him to do and become the best at it. Because for some insane reason he found himself rather desperate to please the Pakhan.   
Three floors down they found the door still propped open with Yuuri’s sweatshirt exactly as they had left it. Phichit struggled for a second then handed the gun over to Chris, for just a moment putting himself in an entirely vulnerable position. Phichit held the door propped open when Yuuri gave the blanket to Victor and slipped into his sweatshirt. 

Yuuri peeked out and did a quick scan of the hallway. There were two Yakuza guards smoking and keeping watch at the far end of the hall. They would be seen immediately. All hope was lost.

Except, one of them was Mari. 

“Phichit,” he handed over the room key. “I am going to distract the guards. “You are going to get back to our room without being seen and be prepared to open the door when I knock like I woke you up. Got it?”

“Wait, Yuuri-“ 

It was too late. Yuuri was already in the middle of the hallway. Shuffling towards the two Yakuza. “Mari,” He whimpered his sister’s name. “I’m scared.” He even managed to cry. It worked because it was true. He was terrified. Of being sold to the American, of life in the Bratva, of never seeing his family again. It all terrified him. 

He shuffled closer and Mari rose to pull him into her arms the other alpha’s protective instincts took over, there was a distressed omega. He needed to protect. Phichit used the moments of inattentiveness to slip through the hall back to his room. 

It was over a half hour later when Mari walked Yuuri back to his room and Phichit hardly had to fake being woken up. He rubbed at sleepy eyes. 

“Yuuri, come in, do you want to sleep in my bed tonight?” Phichit asked. They both knew the closeness was as much for Phichit as it was for Yuuri. 

***

“I want Mikael on the first available flight out of Japan. It would be bad for me to kill him at a Peace Summit and the wat I feel right now I’m afraid that would happen.” Victor sipped his coffee. “Then from wherever he lands route him from there to St. Petersburg. But get him out of this country and away from me. I will deal with him when I calm down some.” 

Mila nodded tapping away at her slim little pad in front of her she had been Victor’s personal secretary since before he was the Pakhan and they worked well together. “It’s done and I have sent a message to Mikael of when his flight is and where he will transfer to get home.” 

“Excellent.” 

“Will you let me play with him when we get home, mon amie?” Chris asked.

The idea was so tempting. He let his loyal people question his decisions because it made him a better stronger leader. But he never let them go behind his back and make drastic decisions like this. Small ones like what wine to order for an event sure but whether or not to torture someone – never.

“We will wait and see. I have to think about his punishment. For now, you are in charge of Phichit’s gun and making sure he gets it back when he arrives in Russia. It is obvious he feels safer with a gun in his hands.” 

Chris smiled, “And if he feels safer, he will keep Yuuri safer.”

“You noticed, that did you?”

“It seems to work both ways though. They do not have a typical bodyguard relationship.”

“No, they do refer to themselves as brothers and that is far more what they act like.” Victor agreed. 

Victor spent the night curled up with the blanket Yuuri used wrapped around himself over his shoulders so he could soak in the scent of his omega. Now that unique blend of cherry blossom, vanilla, and cinnamon was burned into his subconscious. His anger over the incident the night before built when he caught a whiff of the fear on the blanket. 

When he arrived on the main floor to go to his first meeting of the day, he found himself searching for the smell. It was no where to be found. He went through the entire day, every tedious meeting hoping for a glimpse or a whiff of Yuuri. Several female omegas served tea that day during a few meetings. They were objectively lovely, but not nearly as stunning as his Yuuri. More anger built when he never saw his Yuuri. 

That evening as he dressed in an immaculate black suit. There was a banquet tonight. Marking the halfway point of the summit and it was an important part of Yuuri’s plan. Yuuri insisted it was too soon to offend the Yakuza’s honor. However, this would be the last banquet and the last chance for them to be alone together without arousing to much suspicion.

He rode down the elevator with Mila on his arm, Chris, Sara, Yura, and Bekka were all in the elevator with them. They walked into the Banquet room together. His gaze scanned around the room. When he finally saw Yuuri his back was turned to the room. He stood near an open balcony and faced Phichit. He wore a dress that scooped low in the back between the shoulder blades and sparkled with blue iridescent material everywhere else. He looked lovely despite the green and blue bruises that were still healing on his back from the beating he received earlier this week. Anger bubbled up in him again. 

It was not Mila he wanted on his arm. He growled softly. 

“Victor.” Mila tugged on his arm. “Think this through. I know you want Yuuri but if you don’t follow his plan and free his friends, he might deeply resent you.” 

Victor snarled at Mila. “I refuse to leave him alone tonight after last night.”

“You don’t have to. That is not his plan. Just dance with me a few times. Then we can have a fight. Just like we are doing now. Then you can go to him.”

Victor glared at her and dragged her onto the dance floor. 

“You know I had nothing to do with what Mikael did?”

“I am aware.”

“Neither is anyone else? It was Mikael’s choice. Even Otabek regrets his involvement. I doubt he ever wanted to hurt anyone. Mikael has to have some kind of leverage on him.”

“I am aware of all this and I intend to find out exactly what that is and how deep Otabek’s loyalties lie.” Victor ground out the words.

“Then why are you taking your anger out on all of us?”

“He’s my mate Mila.” Victor frowned. “The same way you have a mate. You knew her right away when you met her. When you smelled her. If she were hurt what would you do?”

“I would rip the fucking arms off whoever hurt my mate.” Mila snarled. “I didn’t realize. I should have. You have been talking about him for years and years. Since the first time you smelled him,” She paused for a second. “What are you going to do with Mikael?”

“It was time for him to leave the organization anyway. He was pushing outdated ideas. As long as he accepts his banishment and behaves, I won’t let it spill over onto his children.”

Mila nodded. “Do you want to fight now?” 

Victor smiled for the first time that night. “Why yes, I believe I do.” 

“You are a terrible dance partner, Victor,” Mila announced in a loud annoyed voice that carried to the people surrounding them.

“Really, darling, because you are the one who keeps stepping on my toes,” Victor deadpanned back to her.

“How dare you insult my dancing.” Mila jerked away. “If you’re going to be like that, I just won’t dance with you.” She turned and flounced away in her emerald green dress that was a perfect compliment to her hair and skin. 

When she got to the area where the Russians had staked a claim, she grabbed Otabek by the arm and dragged him onto the dance floor. Victor smiled, making Otabek dance with anyone but Yura was a special kind of torture for him. Victor strode off in the direction he had last seen Yuuri.

What he pointed out to Mila was the truth. He recognized Yuuri that first night on the beach. He had not fully understood but his scent had never left Victor because Yuuri was his true mate. He had obsessively looked for Yuuri at every summit. But never found him. 

But Yuuri never had the opportunity to smell him. The Bratva never left the mansion without powerful scent blockers. He was not even sure that the seventeen-year-old would have been able to recognize his scent if he had been unblocked. He had not presented yet.   
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Yuuri and Phichit stood together, still near a balcony facing out over the garden. There were a few Japanese alphas nearby, but not within easy earshot.

“I don’t know, Phichit. Maybe I wrong about the Pakhan. Maybe we should just end this.”

“And do what, Yuuri?” Phichit sounded desperate. “I do not want to live in a harem.” 

“I still have the drugs from Minako- sensei. None of us would have to go anywhere.” Yuuri spoke very softly. 

All the anger Victor had been carrying around since the night before rose from a slow simmer to a hot boil. Yuuri would rather die than come and live with him.   
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
The growl that left his throat was almost feral. As were the hormones that leaked past Emil’s scent blockers. It was not his scent just his angry pheromones, assertive and dominate. 

Phichit and Yuuri spun around. Most of the nearby alphas wisely stepped back. Victor was a very dominant alpha. Yuuri moved so he stood between Victor and Phichit. Did he even realize he did these little things, acting to protect his pack?

“Yuuri, you will dance with me.” The words were dangerously close to an alpha command with the level of hormones thick in the air.

Yuuri swallowed, he tilted his head just slightly, making himself a vulnerable target. Then he whispered, “Of course, Pakhan.”

He reached out and slid his hand into Victor’s. He wore soft satin gloves that covered him to almost his elbows. Victor wanted them off. He wanted to feel Yuuri’s skin. He growled at the back of his throat. 

They started to dance, and Victor led Yuuri closer and closer to the doors that opened into the garden. He also moved him closer to his body, sliding his hand around his waist until his fingers just touched the bare flesh of his back. 

“Tell me Yuuri, what do you get out of this arrangement?” 

“I won’t be sold off and forced to be the mate of someone who will probably kill me one day when he tires of me.” Yuuri did not meet his eyes as he spoke the words. 

Victor slid his hand up his back, he felt Yuuri shiver. “What else do you get?”

***

Parts of last night were hazy in Yuuri’s mind. Phichit swore he had not blurted out his undying love for Victor to the man who tied him to the chair. Or to Victor himself for that matter. Had he said something else? Something wrong? 

He had clearly done something to anger the Pakhan. “I…”

“You Yuuri. Yes, let’s think about this shall we?” Victor’s fingers skimmed along the line of his back with a butterfly light touch that had Yuuri’s stomach tied in knots. He leaned in close speaking near his ear so no one would hear. “Isabella gets to be reunited with the love of her life. Kenji gets to keep his child. Phichit gets his guns back, and after seeing him last night I can tell that will mean a great deal to him. But you, the one who risked your life to ask a favor from the Bratva, what do you get out of all of this?”

His breath was hot against Yuuri’s ear. He could feel his heart racing. He fought to keep his scent under control. He did not want the Pakhan to smell his want. He was so focused that he did not notice that the Pakhan had steered then to the edge of the dance floor by the large garden doors until he stopped dancing. 

“Walk with me in the garden, Yuuri.” His tone and the heavy pheromones in the air around him left little room for argument. But this, this was part of the plan. Whatever he had done to anger the Pakhan he still intended to honor their agreement. 

Outside a pleasant breeze was blowing and Yuuri tilted his head toward the fresh air to give himself a moment to think. Last night he told Chris he wanted something exclusively from Yuuri. 

“Are you mad at me Pakhan?”

“I have told you before my name is Victor.” The words were growled more than spoken.

“I was concerned that I had done something to cause you to no longer want me to use that name. You seem incredibly angry tonight, Victor.”

Yuuri realized right away he was being led down the path to the gardeners shed. 

“What would you do if I were angry, Yuuri?” Victor taunted him, asking him impossible questions. 

“I would apologize for whatever I did that angered you and I… I would ask you to explain my mistake, so I did not repeat it.”

They reached the shed Alexei was already by the door. Victor opened the door and drew Yuuri inside. He turned on the single hanging bulb and closed the door behind him. Alexei and Sara were outside, Yuuri realized, he would not be able to leave if he chose to. 

Fortunately, he did not want to. He turned to look up at Victor. He started to release soothing calming pheromones. He watched Victor carefully. This would either help or enrage Victor further. The odds were fifty percent in his favor. 

“I am very sorry for whatever I have done.” He looked straight into Victor’s eyes. They were so blue you could drown in them. “If I said or did anything foolish last night, I am terribly sorry and I beg you to forgive my actions. If it is something, I have done under my own control I will make every effort to make amends.” Through his whole speech Yuuri released soothing calming pheromones until they filled the small shed. 

“Yuuri, last night one of my men kidnapped you, drugged you, and tried to torture you. Tonight, I got pissy and possessive and acted like a teenage knothead alpha. And you are apologizing to me?” 

Yuuri stared at him confused. “Aren’t you angry?” 

Victor turned and walked the few steps away the little shed would allow. He ran a hair through his hair leaving it in disarray. “I was angry because I heard what you said to Phichit. I was already furious with Mikael and the thought that you would walk out of my life, that you would rather kill yourself, when I am right here and can help you. That made me angry.”

“You want me in your life?” It was the truth serum, obviously it was still in his system. His brain to mouth filter seemed to have shut down. 

Victor turned and walking the few steps back to him. He didn’t touch him, but he looked down at him with a soft smile. “Yuuri, solnyshko, the last person I let use soothing pheromones on me was my mother, I think I was eight. No one else would dare try. But you, you are allowed to whenever you feel it is necessary.”

Yuuri swallowed hard. Something else was creeping into his scent. He had told Victor at the first banquet that he would have to get both Yuuri and himself… excited. They would have to believe from the scent on the glove that Yuuri and Victor had been having an affair. He knew he would not have any trouble. He did not need to fake his arousal around Victor. 

After all he was a Victor “fanboy.” He assumed it would be much harder for Victor. Now Victor leaned down and put his nose close to Yuuri’s scent gland. It was covered by the metal collar but not by a patch, so his scent leaked out. Victor inhaled a deep breath through his nose. Victor still had not touched him, but Yuuri made a tiny noise at the back of his throat. 

He wanted Victor to touch him. 

“I want you as my mate Yuuri. All mine.” Victor’s mouth brushed his skin as he spoke right above his scent gland then trailing a path up to his ear. “I don’t want anyone else to ever touch you, to ever get to enjoy the way your scent changes when you are aroused. I want you to be mine.” 

Yuuri moved a fraction of an inch and he was pressing his cheek against Victor’s. He should tell him he did not have to say all these pretty lies. That Yuuri was a sure thing without lying to him about what he wanted in the future. But Victor lifted his head and pressed his forehead to Yuuri’s and when he looked in his eyes once again the thought ‘I want that too’ tore through Yuuri’s mind but he had enough sense not to say it. 

Victor could smell him. Smell that he was attracted. Victor was playing a game and Yuuri was letting his heart get involved.

Yuuri could not smell Victor at all. This was all part of the game he had asked Victor to play. It wasn’t real. He asked Victor to come here tonight to act like he was in love with him so the right pheromones would be on the gloves. 

“I want to touch you. Yuuri, may I touch you?” 

All Yuuri could do was nod because his voice suddenly escaped him. He wanted Victor to touch him. When had the shed become thick with pheromones of arousal. And not just his.   
Victor cupped his face gently and leaned down and kissed him. A light brush of lips over lips. Victor kissed him once before, but this felt different. He continued to tease Yuuri’s lips with barely there butterfly kisses driving Yuuri crazy. Finally, Yuuri grabbed the front of his jacket pulled himself up and crashed his lips into Victor’s.   
Which was when he realized his did not have a plan. 

Yuuri always had a plan, and a plan B, and usually a plan C. That way he could calm his anxiety by going over everything that could go wrong. And exactly how he could fix it.   
But Yuuri had no plan when he kissed Victor, and he had never kissed anyone before, well, except Victor a few nights ago in this shed but that did not count because Victor kissed him. He opened his mouth and tentatively ran the tip of his tongue along Victor’s lower lip. 

The alpha gave a low growl. But not a dangerous, angry kind. This sound had heat pooling in Yuuri’s stomach. Victor’s hands moved, one to his waist and one sliding up his bare back as he opened his mouth to Yuuri’s kiss. 

Yuuri tensed up. What was he supposed to do now? How was he supposed to kiss Victor in a way that he would enjoy? 

Victor lifted his head enough to press his forehead against Yuuri’s. “What’s wrong, solnyshko?”

The question was asked gently, not as an accusation. Yuuri’s fingers twisted further into the lapels of Victor’s suit. Victor did not complain or brush his hands away.

“I don’t really know how to kiss. You are the only person I have ever kissed except … well… I try not to think about that.” Yuuri snapped his jaw shut realizing a heartbeat to late that he was rambling. “Sorry.” 

“Why are you sorry? You can talk to me about anything, dorogoy. I am honored to be the first person you have chosen to kiss.” 

“I…I like kissing you, and, well I want you to like kissing me too.” Yuuri blurted out the confession and then hid his face in Victor’s shoulder.

***

Victor let Yuuri stay where he was for a moment because he did not want the younger man to see him smile and think he was laughing at him. 

“Yuuuurriii,” he stretched his name out while running his hand up and down his back, wishing he could scent the omega. He slipped his hand into the silky soft hair at the base of Yuuri’s skull and cupping his head tilted it back so he could look in his beautiful eyes, the color of chocolate and amber. His smell was sweet cherry blossom, soft vanilla, spicy cinnamon, and arousal all mixed together. But the burnt edge of distress was creping in and Victor refused to have that. 

“I’m going to tell you a secret, solnyshko. One you cannot repeat to anyone, not even Phichit, do you understand?” Under the single light Yuuri’s eyes grew impossibly wider and the burnt edges faded into a light crisp smell of curiosity. 

Victor smiled. “If you do it, lyubov moya, it is not wrong.” Yuuri scrunched his eyes in a serious face and Victor’s smile widened. “You can do anything, ask anything, and I will make it happen. We can kiss however you are comfortable. Or not at all. Whatever-“

He did not get a chance to finish because Yuuri surged up on his toes again and pressed his lips on Victor’s silencing him. It was a wet messy kiss and Victor loved every second of it. Victor continued to cradle the back of his head, playing with the silky hair there. As Yuuri’s mouth opened under his he slid his tongue in and stroked along Yuuri’s then withdrew. When he did it again and again Yuuri moaned and pressed closer sliding his hands up Victor’s shoulders. Yuuri chased Victor’s retreating tongue and Victor found himself in the most pleasant game he had ever played as they seemed to fight over who got to claim space in the others mouth. 

Victor pulled away to breathe and Yuuri whined. “Sweet gods and goddesses Yuuri, do you have any idea how good you smell right now?” 

Victor leaned down and pressed his nose right against the metal collar. Even with the taint of the metal Yuuri smelled like heaven. He licked the skin right above the collar. 

Barbaric practice making omega’s wear metal collars. It implied that alphas could not control themselves and were therefore not responsible for their own actions. The truth was it was a cop out. An alpha should be able to be in a room with an omega in heat and walk away if they were told to. If they did not it was rape. Not the fault of some missing collar. 

He licked the skin right above the collar, it was red and chaffed. “Do they make you sleep in this?”

“Yes… Victor…” Yuuri’s voice was breathy and he smelled like want. 

Victor pulled back. “We have to go back inside soon. No one else gets to smell you like this. Only me. Give me your hand.”

Yuuri took a half step back and held out his hand. “I don’t think that is always realistic. When I am in heat –“ 

Victor growled, the thought of Yuuri in heat did things to him. He pulled Yuuri hard against his body and kissed him, nipping at his lower lip until he opened his mouth. Then he plunged his tongue in and explored every deep secret place in the omega’s mouth. Yuuri melted against him. A tiny sound of pleasure escaping from the back of his throat. Victor’s hand on his waist slid to the small of his back to hold him tight against his body as he plundered Yuuri’s mouth. 

It was Yuuri who pulled back this time. “I…uhm… I am sure the gloves smell like we need them to.” He whispered though his face was flushed red and he was out of breath. 

Victor let go of him and smiled at his sudden bought of shyness. “Don’t worry, solnyshko, I don’t plan to lock you away where no one can ever see – or smell- you. I guess I will just have to get used to the idea of people at the mansion knowing how we feel.” Victor took the glove off Yuuri’s hand gently. “This is Yura’s revenge.”

“Your cousin?”

“Hmmm, yes.”

“What does he have to do with anything?” 

“Yura found his mate at a very young age. So young they will not bond yet. But they will help each other through heats and ruts. Occasionally they smell of each other and I never fail to give my cousin shit about it when they do.” 

Yuuri nodded but looked a bit confused and deeply thoughtful. 

“Which brings me to one last piece of unpleasantness.” 

He saw Yuuri tense. “Last night-“

“I really am sorry for anything I did or said last night.”

“Yuuri stop you were fine. And I will deal with Mikael. But I have decided to leave Oatabek’s punishment up to you. He was following orders, but he should have questioned them. He violated the spirit of the peace summit. And he injured my mate. How would you like me to punish him?”

To Victor’s surprise Yuuri did not hesitate. “Make him be Phichit’s personal servant for a month when we get to Russia.” 

“Done, but are you sure that is…”

“Oh, trust me, Phichit will make sure that your Oatabek works hard for the month. Phichit hates to be tied up. What’s more he will make it fun for the rest of it to watch. No doubt Oatabek will be shining shoes and serving tea. Possibly in the same day.” 

“And what about you Yuuri, he hurt you?”

“I will just enjoy Phichit making him work off his punishment. My best friend can be highly creative when it comes to coming up with tasks for bored alphas to perform.” 

Victor laughed and felt lighter. He had not really wanted to have to execute his cousin’s mate and he knew that Yura was afraid of that too. “All right Yuuri, a month of servitude to Phichit it is.” 

“I’m not you know.”

“Not what?”

“I’m not working for anyone. Not the Oyabun, or anyone else. Well, I guess technically I work for Phichit, Kenji, and Bella.

Victor laughed again. “I know that, solnyshko, I have always known that.” 

Victor left the shed with a pair of velvet gloves in his pocket that smelled like an aroused omega.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are enjoying the story. Have a lovely week this week. 
> 
> I am behind on replying to comments and I apologize. I love reading everyone single comments I plan to reply to them all. I have been super busy with holiday stuff. I will be having oral surgery tomorrow so on Tuesday I should be able to sit down and just reply to comments all day since I doubt I will be up to doing much else. 
> 
> I am not joking when I say your positive comments and kudos have convinced me to keep writing when I was ready to quit and give the whole thing up. So thank you all. i appreciate all of you.


	6. The Plan continues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri's plan continues to take shape. 
> 
> Victor is completely smitten with Yuuri and poor Yuuri is completely oblivious to Victor's feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I am still off work I am posting an extra chapter again this week. I'll still post on Sunday. 
> 
> Thank you so much for stopping by and reading. I appreciate all your comments and kudos. Your comments feed my writers soul. I deeply appreciate all of you. 
> 
> This is the first chapter where the story earns its E rating. If you are not into that feel free to skip that part. I will mark it off. 
> 
> No trigger warnings in this chapter that I can think of. 
> 
> As usual this chapter is unbetaed so any and all errors are mine and mine alone. Please feel free to point out any glaring grammatical errors. 
> 
> Please do not copy to another site. Read with joy.

Yuuri refused to talk about it until they were back in their room. He was snuggled into his softest PJ’s and wrapped into the soft hotel blanket like a burrito facing Phichit. They were not here long enough to make nests, but the hotel made sure to provide omegas with extra soft blankets to cuddle into. 

“Well, he left in a terrible mood, everyone could see that and came back in a great mood. What did you do? Give him a hand job in the gardening shed.”

“Phichit!! Of course not.” 

Phichit snickered, “Oh come on Yuuri, we both know you’d do it if he asked. You have the cover of Forbes he was on last year for his legal business ventures taped to the bottom of your desk drawer.”

Yuuri felt his face heat. “We talked and followed my plan. He is going to make the alpha who hurt me be your personal servant for a month when we get to Russia as punishment for what happened to us.” 

“Really, the one who was shocking you? I get to boss around an alpha for a month?” Phichit sounded absolutely gleeful.

“Yup.”

“Why did he let you choose his punishment?”

“The alpha is his cousin’s mate. I think he was hoping that he would not have to kill him. Since I was the one that was wronged, he let me choose hoping I would choose something other than death.”

Phichit looked thoughtful for a moment. “He actually doesn’t sound like that bad of a leader.” 

“I told you this was a good option.”

“Based on one – ONE conversation you had with him when you were seventeen. You have totally been crushing on his ever since. Don’t think I didn’t know.”

Yuuri felt his cheeks flush red. “He is very good at playing his part.” 

“You’re kidding right?”

“What do you mean?”

“You really think he is playing a part and that he is not interested in you?”

Yuuri closed his eyes for a moment and thought about how Victor kissed him. He thought about his hand trailed up and down his spine making heat coil in his stomach. He thought about Victor telling him he could not tell anyone else, not even Phichit about it. He was sure that he had involved his real-life girlfriend, Mila, to some extent. But he probably did not want her finding out exactly how intimate they had been. 

Yuuri opened his eyes. “Did you know he has never been in a relationship with an omega before? The press has accounted for two relationships with other alphas. One of which is Mila who says she has been his on again off again girlfriend for years. The other was a man names Drake from the United States. It only lasted a few months. He has been in two other relationships. One man, one woman, both betas. It never lasts more than six months and he always goes back to Mila.” 

“First, why do you think this has anything to do with you. Second, oh my gods, Yuuri, stalker much?”

“Well, I watched him when he took over the Bratva, studied his strategy. I wanted to know how he did it for my tactical planning training. I learned other things about him too. And from his history he obviously isn't interested in dating omegas.” 

“You mean his ‘kill everyone’ strategy?”

“No, first off, the old Pakhan is still alive the last time that happened was over 75 years ago. Most changes in power are hostile. Even his father's. Second, he was very strategic, he killed people who were disloyal. People who made plans behind his back with enemies of the Bratva. But people who challenged his ideas he heard out and then either agreed or disagreed with them. And if he disagreed with you it was not a death sentence. Unless they went behind his back. Loyalty is important to him.”

“In other words, the ice prince has a heart?”

“I think so yes, and I think it belongs to Mila. But I have heard and read lots of rumors that she is an alpha like him. The odds of them having a child together are extremely low.” 

“And in walks an omega asking for favors,” Phichit sounded uncertain. “You think he is using you to get a child?” 

“Uhm, maybe, yes.”

“For himself and Mila?”

“Yes,” Yuuri sounded uncertain even to himself.

“This doesn’t bother you?”

“No, it does. But I knew there would be a price that we would have to pay for our freedom. Someone would have to pay it. I guess, I just hope that you and Kenji will both be settled by the time I have the baby. And maybe they will let me stay around as you know ‘Uncle Yuuri’. He doesn’t tend to kill people who are loyal.” 

“Gods and Goddesses, Yuuri, when you said you were willing to trade yourself for our freedom, I didn’t know you meant literally.” 

“I won’t let you end up in a harem.”

“No, instead you will be the Pakhan’s broodmare.” 

“As you have pointed out I have a thing for him. It won’t be all bad.” 

“If you say so.”

***

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Victor lay naked in the bed wrapped in the blanket Yuuri used two nights ago. He held the gloves that smelled like Yuuri’s arousal to his nose and inhaled deeply. Poor Yuuri, his face had been so red when he explained and asked for this part of the plan. He had tried to give Victor an out. Saying maybe only his own arousal would work, but Victor could tell he felt his original idea was stronger. 

He drew in a deep breath of his omega’s arousal. His body responded immediately. He let the scent of Yuuri around him tease him as he remembered stroking up the omega’s bare back. His skin so soft and smooth to the touch. He remembered the feel of his soft silky hair. The sounds of him moaning and the little whine he made when Victor stopped kissing him. 

Victor reached down and ran one glove with Yuuri’s scent over his erect cock. He circled the head already leaking pre cum. That was it. He pulled the glove away and tossed it to the side of the bed. He had fulfilled his obligation to Yuuri. But he held the other glove to his nose inhaled deeply and imagined Yuuri in his bed. 

As he imagined the hand not holding the glove slid down his body to stroke his erection. 

When he got his omega in bed, he would strip him bare and kiss every inch of his body. He would make Yuuri feel so good. He wanted to hear more of those moans and little whines. He would take his cock in his mouth and pleasure him till he screamed Victor’s name. At the same time, he would work him open, slowly, and carefully, making sure he enjoyed every second of it. Until his omega came down his throat. 

With that image in his mind, Victor came all over his hand. He relaxed back into the bed. Yuuri thought he had been asking for a favor when he asked him to masturbate with one of his gloves nearby just so he could ‘touch himself a little to get the scent on the glove’.  
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Gods and goddesses Yuuri had no idea what he did to him. But he would find out. Once they got to Russia and he could court him properly and Yuuri would find out exactly what he meant to him. 

The next day he was walking with the Oyabun in the lobby. He would never know how Yuuri timed it so exactly but he and Phichit were bringing their luggage down the elevator. He looked from Yuuri to the Oyabun. 

“Is Yuuri leaving?”

The Oyabun looked over at Yuuri and Phichit. “Would you prefer that he stay?” 

“I would yes. I have found our encounters,” Victor tilted his head in that way that had his hair covering one eye, “entertaining. I would miss him if you sent him away.” 

“Yuuri, go back to your room. You will remain until the end of the conference.” 

Yuuri showed no emotion. He simply nodded his head. “Yes, Oyabun.” 

“Phichit, you are still going. Continue on your way.” 

Victor turned to continue walking with the Oyabun but he saw Yuuri hug Phichit from the corner of his eye. He realized that they were not guaranteed to ever see each other again if Yuuri’s plan did not work. 

***

Yuuri paced his room. Without Phichit he was a nervous wreck. He had gone over everything that could or would go wrong. He was still here but he was basically trapped in his room. He was told he would attend the formal dinner in two nights time and the final grand ball where he would wear his dress from the opening night. 

It was five-thirty. He called his mother every single night at five-thirty. He went to the hotel phone and made his call. 

“Hello mother.” 

“Yuuri, how are you?” She sounded nervous, that was not good. 

“I’m doing well, as it turns out I’m staying at the conference a little longer than they initially thought I would be.” 

“Oh, why is that my son?” There was too much formality in her speech. She would not ask him like that. Someone was listening to their conversation. 

“I believe that the Pakhan of the Russian Bratva has taken an interest in me.” It was always best to tell the truth whenever possible. 

“You always have been a beautiful boy.”

Yuuri wanted to cry in frustration how was he supposed to find out the information he needed if he could not talk to his cousin because his mother’s phones were suddenly being monitored. Then he realized his mother was still talking “Remember when the conference was here, there was that boy who thought you were beautiful?”

Dimitri. “Of course, I remember.” 

“Yes. Minako stopped by.” It was an abrupt subject change but Yuuri was starting to understand. His mother was trying to tell him things in code. 

“How is Minako-sensei?”

“She is well. She was performing in Russia for a while did you know? She went to many places including a place I never heard of called Vladivostok. She said it was an up-and-coming city.” 

“That sounds exciting.” He had a city and person, he needed more though.

“She stopped by that American Store what is it called Port 93?”

“It’s Pier 1, mom.”

“Of course, I am so forgetful in my old age. Anyway, she went to that American store and she bought me the cutest little decorations for around the house. Three of them. They were all wrapped up tight for shipping because Minako was afraid they would break. She said she spent 473 dollars. No wonder she shipped them so carefully. They are quite beautiful. But not as beautiful as you my precious son.”

Yuuri wanted to cry. His mother just told him everything he needed to know in code. “I love you mom.” 

“I know. Minako said she stopped and saw you too. She said she offered you a gift and you refused.” 

“That is true.” 

“My son is not just beautiful he is smart too.” 

“I must take after my mother. I love you.” 

“I love you too. Go enjoy the conference.”   
'  
Yuuri hung up the phone and sorted out the information in his head. The shipping crate 473 would be going to Port 93 in Vladivostok where the shipment of three omegas would be distributed by a man named Dimitri.

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri. 

He did not dare to write the information down anywhere. There was too much risk it might be found and if it were found they might change when and where things would happen, and he might never get the information again. Instead, he recited it to himself silently over and over. 

Today, the final piece of his plan for the peace summit would play out. Mila, Victor’s outraged girlfriend would find the evidence of their ‘relationship’ and she would break things off with Victor. She must be very committed to Victor to allow him to do this. 

After that Victor just had one more thing to do here at the summit.

***

To say the meeting was boring would be like saying vodka was Russian. Georgi was handling most of it since it was for the legal side of the business and it entailed mainly checking over a contract renewal for emergency medical kits. His completely above-board company made and sold medical supplies like first aid kits and emergency medical supplies. Emil, the Bratva doctor, was always making improvements to their product line. Like the magic bruise cream, but a few things they kept back for themselves. Like the twenty-four-hour scent blockers. 

He glanced at the clock and stifled a yawn, he was only here to sign the final contract with the Oyabun, who looked almost as bored, and a little annoyed, as he was. 

Victor sat up straighter. That’s right, they did not like negotiating with Georgi, he was omega. He watched as the alphas around the table gave his lawyer dirty looks and he started paying a lot more attention. 

As Georgi finished, he began to speak. “As you can see from everything my incredibly competent lawyer has laid out, the cost of the kits is going up but so are the provisions in each kit we sell you. Bulk costs-“

The door slammed open and Mila stormed in, her red hair flying like a mane behind her. “Victor!”

“Mila, whatever it is can wait. We are in the middle of a contract negotiation.”

“No, it can’t wait.” She threw the glove he had scented for Yuuri down on the table. Georgi pulled back from it and several of the Alphas did as well. “Were you with him?”

“Mila this is neither the time nor the place. This is a private conversation.” 

“Why should we have the conversation in private when you publicly humiliate me by sleeping around with some no-good omega slut.”

“Mila!” Victor was genuinely surprised by her wording. 

“No, that’s it. We are done Victor. Don’t plan to come crawling back to me. If you want the Japanese omega so badly you can have him.” She turned around and stormed out slamming the door behind her. 

Victor turned on the Oyabun, “Your omega just cost me my relationship.” He shoved the glove aside as if it were distasteful. 

“That particular omega often causes problems.” The Oyabun said. 

“Really.” Victor frowned. “I found he had certain skills that were quite delightful. It is a shame he cost me my relationship. This conference is supposed to be about mending relationships not breaking them. Perhaps what I need is someone to replace Mila.” Victor paused and looked thoughtfully at the glove. “I have never been in a relationship with an omega before.” 

The Oyabun scowled. He picked the glove up with the end of his pen and dropped it onto the floor beside him. “Restitution will be made to you by the end of the summit. Where were we with the contract.”

They returned to the contract negotiation as if nothing had happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	7. Falling into place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri is (finally) given to the Russians. But it takes a while to get there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for the comments and Kudo's your kind words and thoughts fuel my writers soul. 
> 
> There are references in this chapter to torture and abuse. I will try to mark them all off so you can avoid reading them. 
> 
> This chapter is a little shorter. It is the end of Part 1 of the story which takes place in Japan. Part 2 of the story will pick up in the next chapter and it takes place in Russia. 
> 
> Trigger warnings:  
> Torture and physical abuse  
> Mental abuse  
> Aftermath of torture and abuse
> 
> I have no beta reader so any mistakes are mine and mine alone. If you find any glaring errors please feel free to point them out.
> 
> I appreciate you all reading. Read with Joy. 
> 
> Please don't post to another site.

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri. 

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

Yuuri repeated the information to himself silently on loop while he puttered around his room. He expected to be given to Victor sometime today. That was the plan. He zipped his two dresses into their garment bags and debated whether or not he should take them. He didn’t pack everything.

He did not want it to look like he was expecting to leave. Instead, he only threw a few things in his bag and left most of his clothes in the drawers they were unpacked into. The knock on his door came later in the day then he had expected. But the Oyabun was probably busy with other important Yakuza affairs. Turning Yuuri over to the Bratva was no doubt low on his list. 

Morooka waited for him on the other side of the door. “The Oyabun wishes to see you.” 

“Of course.” Yuuri walked with his head lowered and his hands folded in front of him to the room the Oyabun was using for holding audiences.

As soon as he entered the angry alpha pheromones washed over him. He lowered his head and tilted his neck exposing his throat in submission. 

“Katsuki Yuuri, do you have any idea what you have done?”

“No, sir-“

“Liar. You have broken the rules and been intimate with the Pakhan.” The Oyabun lifted the glove and threw it at Yuuri. He caught it out of reflex. It smelled like him, and it smelled like aroused alpha.   
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
“Please, I can explain.” His hand clenched around the glove. 

“Silence. You have acted dishonorably. You have brought shame to the Yakuza. I will now have to barter you away to the Bratva as a peace token. But that might be for the best. Who else would want a used omega?” Angry pheromones rolled off the Oyabun and Yuuri had to fight not to drop to his knees. 

“Forty lashes, then solitary confinement without food for the next two days. Then forty more lashes. Perhaps then you will be better behaved for your new alpha than you have been for me.” 

Solitary confinement. No, that had not been part of his plan. How could he get Victor the information, how could he rescue the other omegas if he were locked away in solitary confinement? He could not argue, he could not even lift his eyes. His hand spasmed around the glove. 

Maybe it would not be the end, he didn’t know when they were being shipped or when they were arriving. There was still a chance that they could be saved. He just had to get the information to Victor as soon as possible. 

“On your knees Yuuri.” Morooka pushed him down. “Take off your shirt.” 

It was an old shirt anyway. Not one of his favorites. When his shirt fell to the ground, he kept he hand clenched around the glove. He knelt before the Oyabun and heard the first crack of the belt across his back more than he felt it. He let his mind go, he had something important to remember. 

Crate 473.

Crack.

Port 93.

Crack.

Vladivostok.

Crack.

Dimitri.

Crack. 

He was surprised when it was over. Two alphas dragged him to his feet and for the first time he really felt the pain and it momentarily drove all thought from his head. He almost opened his hand and dropped the glove but remembered at the last minute. He was half dragged half carried from the room. They tossed him into what once must have been a closet. It was small, windowless, and made of cinder blocks with a concrete floor. They had not even given back his shirt. 

The room was pitch black. Yuuri never slept without a light. Not since he was a child. His anxiety caused nightmares. But it got worse after the incident with Dimitri. Now in the pitch black he tried to close his eyes and not think about the blackness all around him. He shivered against the cold floor. He curled into a tight ball and pressed the glove against his nose, Victor had done what he asked.   
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
That was so kind of the alpha. He was so beautiful and so kind, and he had done everything Yuuri asked. The glove smelled like aroused alpha and he knew in his gut it smelled like Victor. He inhaled the scent and tried to block out his surroundings. He had something important to remember. 

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

Dimitri dragging him into an empty room shoving him to his knees. 

No, not that. His hand loosed on the glove. 

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

Dimitri dragging him into an empty room and laughing as he pulled back his head.

The glove slipped out of his fingers onto the floor. Lost in the dark. 

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

Dimitri dragging him into an empty room and shoving him to his knees. 

Yuuri whimpered in the darkness. He had no way of knowing if ten minutes had passed or ten hours. He was terrified he would go insane in here before they let him out to finally see Victor. 

He had to tell Victor. It would all be worth it if he could get the information to Victor.

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

Dimitri dragging him into an empty room…

***

It took three days before he received the summons to the Oyabun’s receiving chamber. During that time, he and Mila had played the part of angry lovers. She was enjoying every minute of it. Giggling about it with Sara after any time she had to be in public and near Victor. 

Victor almost ignored the summons. He didn’t come when he was called by anyone. Especially not the Oyabun. But he had not seen Yuuri in several days and Yuuri swore that the Yakuza would be forced to repay the insult by giving him to the Bratva. That was the entire reason he and Mila maintained the pretext of fighting. 

He entered the conference room turned audience chamber with Georgi and Sara. He left Yura and Otabek in the hall. 

Yuuri stood in the back of the room. A chain had been attached to his neck and wrist cuffs. It snaked around his waist and did not allow him to lift his head. His ankles were also cuffed and chained. He wore a simple white Yukata with no leggings or shoes. 

“This is for you. The arrangement is simple your…lawyer,” The Oyabun said the word on a sigh. “Can look over the contract. You have full rights to the omega and all his offspring. The only caveat is that you may not return him. He is your problem now.”

Georgi took the tablet one of the alphas in the room handed him. He looked over the contract and nodded. “That is what it says. The omega and all his offspring belong to the Bratva.” 

Victor walked up to Yuuri. His head was forced down by the chains, but he tilted his head to the side in submission when Victor came close to him. They would have to work on that. He walked in a full circle around him. There were fresh bruises on the back of his neck, and he would be willing to bet all over his back. 

“I agree. Where are the keys to his chains?”

“Sign first.”

“Keys first.”

The Oyabun nodded and one of the alphas in the room handed Victor a set of keys. Victor took the tablet from Georgi and signed his name to the contract.

“I consider this insult forgiven,” Victor said then turned to Yuuri. “You come with me.”

Out in the hall he handed the keys to Yura. This was the part of the deception he hated the most and the one he had not talked to Yuuri about. He could not let anyone here know what Yuuri meant to him. Not before he had him safe in Russia. Not before they were bonded. “Yura, take my new toy upstairs, I have another meeting to attend.” 

While technically true he would drop it in a heartbeat to take care of Yuuri. But they were in enemy territory. It was not safe to announce to the world that Yuuri was his mate before they were bonded. Similar to how they kept the secret that his bodyguard was an omega. 

For years, her alpha twin had used his scent to cover hers. Between that and patches they had kept her dynamic a secret from everyone. 

Five years ago, at his first peace summit as Pakhan, in Italy their parents came to him and begged him to take their alpha twins away to Russia. Both were trained as bodyguards and highly skilled in both hand-to-hand and weapons combat. They would be incredibly loyal. 

Despite Yakov still scrutinizing his every decision Victor agreed. Sarah and her brother Michelle met them at the plane to fly back to Russia. Mila had taken one look at the girl and told Victor in quiet Russian that she was not an alpha. Mila knew as soon as she smelled her that Sara was her mate, and not an alpha.

Victor did not really care and had not said anything for months. He auditioned them both as his bodyguard and chose Sara. He and Mickey did not click the way he and Sara did. Emil had started them both on scent blockers. Their dynamics were a non-issue. It was only when he caught Sara looking at Mila sadly one day that he said something. 

Sara had been appalled he knew the truth. But they agreed to keep the secret everywhere but the mansion afraid that others would see his bodyguard’s dynamic as a weakness. Sara and Mila were both thrilled with the new arrangement. 

This meeting was interminable. He just wanted to get upstairs to his Yuuri. When the final contracts were signed, and the final handshakes were given Victor all but bolted from the room. 

“Gods and Goddesses Victor, they could have totally fleeced us, and you wouldn’t even have cared,” Georgi said. 

“Did they?” He honestly could not remember any of the details he just negotiated with the Italians.

“No, amazingly you negotiated an excellent contract. It was probably because I reminded you of all the pretty things you could buy for Yuuri if you got more money from them before we went in.” 

Victor grinned at his friend. “That reminder did help. You know me so well Georgi.” 

They disembarked the elevator and walked down the hall to Victor’s suite. He opened the door and went into the main room where he found Mila and Yura watching a movie. Otabek sat alone in the kitchen looking like a kicked puppy. There was a bag and some garment bags on the floor by the sofa. 

“I put him in your bedroom so he could change or whatever. He never came out.” Yura nodded to the bag. “His sister dropped that off. She said it’s his clothes and his glasses.” 

“That’s fine I will go and check on him.” Victor scooped up the bag and garment bags and headed for his room. Yuuri had almost no clothes and what he had were probably not appropriate for Russia. He would have to take his omega shopping. 

He opened the door to his room to find Yuuri curled in a tight ball shivering on the floor of his room. 

***

So dark. Was something crawling across his leg. A bug? A mouse? Did it matter?

There was something he had to remember.

Port 93, Dimitri.

There was more he was forgetting. His stomach gave a loud angry growl of protest. No, he had to remember. 

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

He heard a key scrape in a lock. A crack of light entered the darkness and his eyes burned from having been in the dark for so long. 

“Hey.” A foot nudged him. He didn’t move. 

“Hey.” The foot kicked him this time. “The Oyabun wants to see you.” 

Yuuri forced his feet under him and stood up. He stumbled into the light of the hallway. He followed one alpha guard and was followed by another. 

Usually, they had him wash and dress his best before he went to see the Oyabun. Not this time. The guard in front led him straight to the audience chamber. His father and his sister were there. 

They looked sad. He made them sad.

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

He stood before the Oyabun with his hands crossed in front of him and his head down.

“You have disgraced the Yakuza. You have caused insult to the Russians during the peace summit, a time to resolve insults. You are not worthy of your family. You are not worthy of the Yakuza. Therefore, we will dispose of you.”

Yuuri felt a flash of terror. Had he miscalculated. Were they not going to give him to the Russians? 

“You are no longer Katsuki Yuuri. You are no one. You will be given as a gift to the Pakhan. Since you do not exist none of your children will return to the Yakuza. You are nothing.”   
Despite the finality of the words Yuuri felt a wave of relief. They were still giving him to Victor. 

“You will be given 40 lashes. Then you will be allowed to wash and dress for your presentation to the Pakhan. If he does not want you, you will be put out on the street.”

Yuuri was forced onto his knees and there in front of his father and sister they beat him. He heard his sister crying. He wanted to tell her it would be okay. Because he still remembered the information. But he could not. 

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

He was dragged past his father and sister and saw his strong powerful sister being held in a hug by his father who had tears in his eyes. “I am glad your wife is not here to witness your son’s shame. It is good you have one strong alpha child Katsuki Toshiya.”

The door swung shut and he did not hear whatever else the Oyabun had to say. He was taken to an empty room and allowed to shower and dress then chains were run through his collar and cuffs and he was put in ankle cuffs. The chain locked onto one wrist then looped around his waist and up to his throat finally locking onto the other wrist making it impossible to lift his head. 

The implication was he would never submit without the chains. Because he was a bad omega. 

He could explain. He could make the Pakhan understand that he was not a bad omega. This was a misunderstanding because of his plan. 

They led him back into the audience room. He was positioned to stand behind and below the Oyabun. 

Soon the Pakhan appeared. He was so beautiful in his tailored suite, with his moonlight hair swept across one eye. For a second their gazes met. The Pakhan’s eyes were cold. It took Yuuri a second to remember to drop his gaze to the floor. He looked so angry. Did he regret their agreement? 

“This.” The Oyabun indicated to Yuuri like he might a house plant. “Is for you. The agreement is simple. You will have full rights to him and all of his offspring. You can have your …lawyer.” The Oyabun stumbled over calling the other omega a lawyer and it gave Yuuri a moment of glee. “Look over the agreement. The only caveat is that you may not return him. If you no longer want him, you must dispose of him yourself.” 

Humiliation filled Yuuri as he listened to how much they did not want him. Of course, they were not supposed to. This was part of the plan.

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

The Pakhan walked up to him and he tilted his neck in submission. He did not dare look up at him again. Not for the first time he wished he could smell the other man. He was the only one who could not give the Pakhan something. He was not a sniper or a computer expert. He could not help him secure a deal with another criminal organization. 

He was just Yuuri. 

He had nothing to offer. 

“You.” Yuuri snapped to attention when the Pakhan spoke to him. “Come with me now.” 

Now Victor would take him and unchain him, and he could explain that he was not a bad omega. Instead, when they got to the hallway, he handed the keys to the young blond omega names Yura. The dark-haired alpha who had shocked him was here too. “Yura, take my new toy upstairs, I have another meeting to attend.”

Yura grabbed his arm and yanked him toward the bank of elevators. “Come on.” 

His new toy? Was that what he wanted Yuuri for? If it was it didn’t matter. As long as he rescued the other omegas. 

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

Maybe he really was a bad omega. Only a bad omega would beg an alpha for favors. Only a bad omega would let himself get to fat to be attractive. Only a bad omega would kiss an alpha he wasn’t bound to in some way. Only a bad omega would…

“Gods and goddesses what are you upset about. You stink of distress and it’s not like you have anything to be distressed about now. You and Victor can fuck around all you want.” Yura snapped at him.

Yuuri nodded. “Of course.” 

They shuffled down the hallway and into Victor’s suite. There Mila was waiting for them. She looked from Yuuri to Yura. “You have the keys, right?”

“Yes, I have the fucking keys.” Yura turned to the dark-haired alpha and snapped. “Get out of my sight.” Then he dragged Yuuri into a huge scentless bedroom and began to unlock his chains. Dropping them in a messy pile on the floor as he went.

“This is Victor’s room so you can, you know, whatever. I’m going to go watch a movie.” 

What did that mean? Was he supposed to go with him? Was he supposed to wait here for the Pakhan? It was not dark in this room. There was a bed and a chair. But the Pakhan had looked so cold today. He called him his new toy. Would he want him in his bed? In his chair? 

Suddenly the look on his father’s face as he held a crying Mari came to him. He had nothing. He had less than nothing. He had no family. His friends were in a shipping crate somewhere and the Oyabun had even taken his name. 

If Victor did not want him… when Victor got tired of him, he would be alone in the world and as good as dead. It did not matter. He curled into a tight ball on the floor.

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

Dimitri shoved him into an empty room. 

He shivered and his gaze scanned the empty room. 

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

Dimitri shoved him into an empty room.

“Yuuri?” A hand touched his shoulder.

A warm soft blanket wrapped around him. Strong arms picked him up off the floor. 

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

“Shhh, hush, your safe now.” 

He had not even realized he was talking. There was no scent. His nose was broken, there was no scent. He began to panic. 

“No Yuuri, it’s okay. It is just our scent blockers they are very strong. Shhh. Relax for me now. You are safe, solnyshko.” 

Crate 473, Port 93, Vladivostok, Dimitri.

“I know, it’s all going to be okay.” 

The arms held him close and warm. “Is that my name, solnyshko? The Pakhan has to give me a name. Is that my name?”

The arms held him tighter. “You have a name. Tell me your name lyubov moya.”

“Yuuri?”

“Yes, Yuuri, that is your name.” 

“Thank you Pakhan.” He snuggled into the blanket in the Pakhan’s arms.

“Yuuri, what is my name?”

“Victor.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. 
> 
> Just so everyone knows - Victor is trying to protect Yuuri when he leaves him alone because he is afraid people will try to kidnap him if they know how important Yuuri is to him. He very much sees Japan as enemy territory. 
> 
> Thank you for all your comments and kudos. You fill my writers soul with joy.


	8. Arrival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri finally makes it to Russia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is organized crime acting like organized crime in this chapter. 
> 
> Someone dies but it's an OC. No major character death. 
> 
> I have no beta reader so if there are any mistakes they are all mine and I apologize in advance. Please feel free to point them out. 
> 
> As always please do not post to another site and read with joy. :-)

Part 2  
Russia  
Yuuri woke up wrapped in a blanket on a big soft bed. He was no longer in the hotel room. The room wasn’t completely dark, but the light was coming through an open door off to his left. It took him a moment to process that the steady rumble was the engine of a plane. 

He took stock of his situation. He was still wrapped in the soft brown fuzzy hotel blanket. But he was not wearing the same clothes. He had on a pair of his own sweatpants and one of his t-shirts. He smelled like the bruise cream Victor put on him that night in the gardening shed. 

He wondered for a moment how they had gotten his clothes and then realized that Mari must have taken them to the Bratva. He hoped she had not gotten in trouble. But Mari was clever and if anyone could figure out how to sneak Yuuri’s things to Victor it would be her. 

What was he thinking? He had to find Victor. Tell him the information to hopefully save Phichit, Kenji, and Bella. He pushed the blanket off and stumbled to his feet. His back ached from the repeated beatings, but he forced himself to walk to wear the opened door spilled light into the room. It was a bathroom. Larger than he had seen on the plane rides from Fukuoka to Narita in Tokyo the two times he had flown. The minute he saw the bathroom his body reminded him that he had to use it. He did not have to jam himself into a tiny space.

After washing his hands and face and running a hand through his hair which was sticking up in every imaginable direction Yuuri left the bathroom and looked around the room. A sliding door was at the foot of the bed and he went to that. As soon as he opened the door he saw a short hallway and could hear voices. People were speaking both English and Russian. He followed the hall stopping at the end to look around.

The inside of this plane was like nothing he had ever seen before. There was a long table with six chairs around it. Victor sat at one end speaking into his phone in rapid fire Russian. To his left sat Georgi, then Mila. Chris was opposite him at the table and next to Chris was Yura. The seat immediately to Victor’s right was unoccupied. There were also two small seating areas with couch like seats around them. At one Sara, Otabek, and Ivan sat around a table playing cards. 

The moment he reached the end of the hall Victor looked up at him with his piercing blue eyes. He felt like their gaze could see into his soul sometimes. He never paused in his conversation on the phone, but he indicated to the empty chair and motioned for Yuuri to come and sit down. Yuuri took a deep breath and stepped from the hallway to the main cabin of the plane. 

Mila looked up at him and grinned. “Welcome back to the land of the awake and the aware.” 

“How long was I out?”

Georgi looked at his watch. “Twenty-seven hours.”

“What?” Dread filled Yuuri’s stomach. They were going to be too late. They were going to miss the omegas. All this would have been for nothing. He sat carefully in the seat next to Victor not letting his back rest against the seat, the bruises hurt. Without missing a beat in his conversation Victor reached out and took his hand. Yuuri glanced around the table. No one, not even Mila seemed surprised or upset by this. 

Yuuri forced himself to take a deep breath. It was going to be okay. Victor had promised to help the others. He would help them even if they had missed the shipping crate. 

Victor took the phone from his ear and hit the red button to end the call. “Yuuri, I’m so glad you’re awake. I’d offer you something to eat or drink, but we are about to land at an airport just outside of Vladivostok. I have arranged a van to take us to port 93. Dimitri Krupin, a member of my organization for many years, was banished from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok six years ago.” 

A shiver ran down Yuuri’s spine. 

Six years ago. He did not ask Victor if it was the same Dimitri the answer was clear in his eyes. He did ask another question. “How did you know?”

“Yuuri it was the first thing you said to me. You were repeating it over and over even though you were barely conscious.” Victor looked deeply concerned, his gaze was soft, and his thumb stroked over Yuuri’s hand again and again. “Then you slipped out of consciousness. I have never seen anything like it.” 

Yuuri took everything in. From Victor’s soft gaze to his gentle hand and calming words. “I’m sorry I frightened you. I was not in a good place physically or emotionally. I think my body just needed to reset.” 

“It happens sometimes,” Georgi said. 

“Not to healthy omegas,” Yura spat out.

“I’m sorry I frightened everyone.”

“Yuuri, you don’t have to apologize.” Victor said. “As soon as we get your friends, we will get you some food. You have to be hungry.”

“Thank you I am. Can…can I have a gun?” He was nervous asking for a weapon. He was only an omega and they might take it the wrong way.

“Of course, Yuuri.” 

“And shoes.”

Victor laughed. “They should be in the bedroom with your other clothes. Oh here.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out Yuuri’s glasses. Yuuri grabbed them and slid them eagerly onto his face. Grinning as the world came into sharper focus. “Tell me Yuuri, are you a good shot?”

“I…I used to be. Not as good as Phichit but decent. I have not held a gun in years. I think…I mean I should be able to do okay.” Yuuri realized he was babbling and snapped his mouth shut. 

“When we land Sara will get you set up with a gun.” Victor said with a smile.

***

Victor smiled at Yuuri. His hair was sleep mused and his glasses were sitting slightly askew on his nose. He looked adorable. And he was talking about how well he could shoot a gun. Seriously, Victor was not sure he could get anymore turned on. Thank all the gods and goddesses for Emil’s scent blockers or Yuuri would be bolting as soon as the plane touched down if he knew how interested Victor really was in him. Plus, he was avoiding the teasing of all his friends. 

They were going to be merciless. 

Victor didn’t care, he was torn between wanting to snuggle Yuuri up in a blanket and keep him safe forever; and giving him a gun and watching him put it to good use. Yuuri compared himself to Phichit, that probably meant he was an excellent shot. Victor felt the plane’s landing gear drop and he let go of Yuuri’s hand. 

He realized that Dimitri was the same man who hurt Yuuri six years ago, and he saw in Yuuri’s face that he knew it too. Now the only real question was which one of them would get to kill him. Victor wanted to kill him for Yuuri, but Yuuri might prefer to do the job himself. He did not know him well enough to make that call. They would give Yuuri a gun and see where things went. 

One thing was certain Dimitri would not see another sunrise. 

The plane bounced once as it touched down. Victor saw Yuuri grip the edge of the table. “Yuuri, it’s okay.” He reached out and took Yuuri’s hand again. “Have you flown before?”  
“Twice, from Fukuoka to Narita and once back to Fukuoka. I am not used to it at all.”

“It’s completely normal to have a bumpy landing like this sometimes.” Mila assured him with a bright smile. “You’ll get used to it traveling with Victor.”

“Yes,” Georgi added. “I seriously doubt Victor will leave you home for weeks at a time so you will get accustomed to flying. And the plane is quite nice.” 

Victor squeezed Yuuri’s hand. He could not quite catch his scent in the recycled cabin air. “It will be entirely up to you if you want to travel with me or not.” 

Yuuri held Victors hand in a vicelike grip. But his eyes were locked on the table. Victor squeezed his fingers and Yuuri look up at him and gave him a weak smile. He did not speak as the plane began to taxi down the runway. 

“Yuuri, are you nervous?” Victor asked, not used to having to resort to questions because he could not smell Yuuri.

“Yes, very, I want to see my friends again.” 

“We will find them. Don’t worry, solnyshko.”

The plane slowed and taxied to a stop. A flight attendant appeared from somewhere in the front of the plane and told them it was safe to unbuckle their seatbelts. At Victor’s request she was speaking English. It was a common language they all spoke. It would no doubt take his Yuuri some time to learn Russian. 

“Yuuri, why don’t you go back to the bedroom and get shoes, I will send Sara back with a gun.” 

Yuuri stood without a word and half ran back to the bedroom. 

“Do you really think it is wise to let him come with you?” Georgi asked.

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“What if we don’t like what we find?” Mila said very softly and in Russian.

“He’ll have to hear about it eventually. He’s strong.”

“Obviously, look at the torture he has already survived. But do you really want to put him through that now?” Georgi asked. 

Victor waved away their concerns. “Everything is going to be fine.” He smiled but the gesture did not reach his eyes. It was the smile he used for the media.

***

Yuuri found his suitcase and two dress bags on the floor next to the bed. Sitting on top though, oh, this was a precious gift Victor was giving him. He picked up the box. He could not read it. But he didn’t have to. They were scent blocker patches that was clear from the picture on the sealed box they usually came in boxes of thirty-six. Better still, they were specifically designed for omegas. The universal omega symbol was marked next to the picture. It was a full box. He had never had so many scent blockers at the same time in his life. 

He quickly opened the box and applied patches to his neck and wrists. His bare neck and wrists. Victor had not put a collar or wrist cuffs on him. Yuuri noticed that the Russian omegas only seemed to wear them sometimes when they went with an outfit, but never into negotiations or in private. For some reason he had still expected Victor to put a collar on him. The freedom was a heady feeling. He dug around in his bag and found his black jeans and a blue long-sleeved t-shirt. He applied the scent patches to the glands on his legs while he was changing into the jeans. 

He took a deep breath through his nose. He was as scentless as Victor. He grinned as he tied his shoes. 

There was a knock at the door. He rose and answered it. Sara was on the other side. She smiled at him. 

“Oh good, you found the patches. Do you feel more comfortable?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“Victor wanted you to have them.”

Yuuri chose that moment to remember Victor’s face pressed to his neck telling him no one got to smell him like that but him. He felt heat creeping up his face and he was glad Sara could not smell him. 

“I have some other goodies for you.” She grinned, “This first.” She handed him a bullet proof vest. It was high quality and graded to stop military ammunition. It did not surprise Yuuri that the Bratva had a supply of them, but it surprised him they were wasting one on him. 

Sara helped him strap the vest on correctly. “Next, is this.” She held out a small gun. “Since we don’t know how you’ll handle the recoil I didn’t give you anything to high caliber.” 

Then she pulled out a holster for him to wear on his hip. But Yuuri did not like feeling exposed with the gun and the vest. 

“Oh, I know.” Sara grinned and hit a panel on the wall. It slid back revealing a closet full of clothes. She studied them for a moment then grabbed a long-sleeved black silk shirt the probably cost more than Yuuri’s whole wardrobe, except the two dresses that Mari technically stole from the Oyabun.

“Put this on.”

“Whose is it? Won’t I get in trouble?”

“It’s Victor’s. Trust me, he won’t mind a bit.”

So Yuuri slid his arms into the long-sleeved black silk and buttoned it up. It hung to his mid-thigh. It was a little tight in the hips where Victor was narrower than him but other than that it was perfect, and it covered his gun and bullet proof vest. 

“All right, let’s go.” Sara led the way through the now empty main cabin of the plane. They went to an open door with a staircase pushed up to it. Yuuri descended the stairs behind Sara. A chilly breeze blew. 

He saw everyone waiting for them on the tarmac below. Victor’s gaze was laser focused on him as he descended the stairs. When Yuuri reached the ground, he asked “Yuuri is that my shirt?”

“Uhm, yes, Sara said you wouldn’t mind. I can take it –“

“Yuuri stop.” Victor interrupted the flow of words from Yuuri’s mouth; he was babbling. He felt his face flush red. At least no one could smell him. “I have no problem with you wearing my shirt. I was just surprised.” 

“Okay.”

“There are two vans waiting to take us to the docks. Are you ready?”

Yuuri nodded even as a voice in his head screamed that he would never be ready to see Dimitri again. Yuuri managed to snag a seat next to Georgi. He found the other omega comforting, even if he was scentless and they did not know each other well. 

“Don’t worry Yuuri, Victor won’t let anything happen to you,” Georgi said.

“Yes, you are one of us now,” Mila echoed with a warm smile. “Family. Victor will keep you safe.”

Yuuri looked down at his hands folded neatly in his lap and wondered what had given away his nervousness. Only then did he realize he was biting the inside of his cheek, a terrible habit he had developed when he got anxious as a child and never seemed to be able to break. 

“I’m not scared for me. I’m frightened that we will not get to the shipping crate in time,” Yuuri admitted. “If they take them out and split them up, I won’t know how to find them.” 

“It’s okay, Victor is exceptionally good at what he does. He will find your friends. I will find Phichit.” Chris promised. 

Yuuri wondered why Chris wanted to find Phichit but as the van continued to speed along the road they hit a bump and Yuuri was jostled into Georgi’s space at the same time his stomach chose to give a loud angry growl. Yuuri sat back upright holding himself carefully so as not to hurt his back.

“How long has it been since you’ve eaten?” The older omega asked.

“The day that I was unconscious, plus the two days before that when I was kept in solitary confinement.”

“And before that you were on a restricted diet?” Mila asked. Yuuri remembered she had been at the table that night when they all had dinner and he was served a simple lettuce salad. His diet had not improved any since then. 

“Yes.”

“You must be starving,” Georgi said and Yuuri was glad Victor was on the phone in the front of the Van and could not hear their conversation. 

“I could eat,” he mumbled.

“As soon as we are done, solnyshko, I just ordered food and it will be waiting for us on the plane. We will leave this city and go home as soon as this mess is over.” Victor tucked his phone into the pocket of his jacket. 

“Thank you,” Yuuri whispered the words. Victor sounded annoyed. 

***

This was a mess. And somehow it was happening right under his nose without him knowing. How had Dimitri Krupin wormed his way into a position of power? The man should be a grunt worker, not in charge of incoming and outgoing shipments as Victor now knew he was. 

When he did a little more digging, he found that it was Mikael’s approval at every promotion. Mikael had been working with Dimitri. Had he known about the human trafficking? How long had it been going on? It didn’t matter; Mikael should be safely on his way back to St. Petersburg and before the day was over Dimitri would be dead. He had already contacted a clean up crew. 

As soon as they arrived at the docks, he divided his people into three groups. Two were on the ground looking for the shipping crate. The third was Yuuri, Sara, and himself. They were going into the main building to see if they could find a manifest and figure out when the crate arrived and where it might be. 

It was a square concrete block building, two stories high, with brightly lit hallways and plain utilitarian white flooring. Doors off the hallways led to various offices all marked with the title of the person rather than a name. About halfway down the hall was a staircase. It was enclosed on two sides. Victor drew his gun. Sara, behind Yuuri drew hers as well. 

Victor expected the building to be empty. He expected Dimitri to be out with the latest arrivals. As he reached the top of the stairs he was greeted with the barrel of a gun. Dimitri stood over near a desk and a bay of windows, seated at his feet hands bound behind their backs where the three omegas they had come to rescue. He held a gun pointed at the head of a young man Victor had never met. He had short dyed blond hair with one shocking red streak in the front. He looked so young, he had to be Kenji.

Mikael held a gun aimed at his head. He lifted his hands slowly glancing back at Sara. He saw her lift her hand to her ear and press a button three times in quick succession. He heard the three sharp beeps in his ear. The emergency signal unique to Sara and him. She was not far enough up the stairs for Mikael to see and he no longer had an earpiece. 

“Come up the rest of the way slowly, bring the omega,” Mikael ordered. “Place your gun on the floor.” 

Victor took the last three steps into the brightly lit upper floor slowly. Windows covered three sides of the room and natural afternoon sunlight flooded the space. Yuuri followed him up. He looked from Mikael to his friends and back at Mikael.

“What do you want?” Victor demanded.

“We want a complete set of little omega whores for our auction. Even if this one has been sleeping with you Victor,” Mikael looked over at Yuuri. “Your buyer won’t care. He is not so much into virgins. Not like that one’s buyer.” He indicated toward Phichit. 

Yuuri looked at the omegas on the floor again and Victor swore that there was some silent communication that went on between him and Phichit. 

Victor analyzed the situation. Sara was still behind him. She still had her gun. Victor was calculating the odds of getting out of this. Yuuri had a gun, but he was not sure how good of a shot he was. 

Then everything happened at once. Yuuri reached behind him and grabbed Sara’s gun, but instead of firing he slid it across the floor. Phichit, whose hands seemed magically free, scooped it up and shot Mikael in the knee, his next shot blew the gun out of Dimitri’s hand before Victor could fully process that Phichit's hands were untied. 

Victor grabbed his gun off the floor as Sara pushed her way up the stairs her second gun in her hands. 

“Yuuri, you stole my gun.” 

“Phichit needed it.” Those were the last words he said before two bullets hit him in the chest. He flew back and crumpled to the floor.

“You killed him?” Dimitri whined. He was wrapping his hand in a cloth. “I wanted to play with him before his buyer got here.” 

Victor felt nothing but blind rage for Mikael, but he needed to know what these two men knew before he killed them. “Sara, go free our friends. Phichit, please provide cover for me while I talk to Dimitri and Mikael.”

“Yuuri?” Phichit sounded so desperate.

“There is nothing we can do for Yuuri, except get revenge.” Victor knew his words and tone were cold. He felt cold. “Drop your gun Mikael.” 

Mikael dropped the gun to the floor. Dimitri was already disarmed. 

“What did Dimitri mean that the buyers were coming here?” 

Mikael spat at Victor’s feet. Victor crouched down in front of Mikael. “Would you like to watch me torture your daughter? Would you talk if I pulled off her pretty little manicured fingernails one at a time? I warned you that if you that if you crossed me again, I would involve your children.”

A door opened and closed downstairs. Voices could be heard below as Sara turned over her two charges. “I hear Ivan now; shall I bring him up here? What if I shoot out the kneecap of your alpha son? Would that make you talk. Sara, bring up Ivan.” 

“No, don’t hurt Ivan, I’ll talk.” Mikael grimaced as he changed positions. “This is an audition, these buyers they have not used the Yakuza before. They have gone through other sources. This is a chance for the Yakuza to show off what they can provide, the best of the best and establish relationships with these buyers. It will secure their cash flow.”

“And yours?”

“Dimitri and I are paid to let the shipping crates arrive here and be distributed. It is easier to hold the cargo here to pay off the inspectors or the police. It is a bit harder in Japan. We are paid a percentage of each sale so the better the buyers the more we make too, yes.” 

“Who does the distribution?”

“Dimitri helps with it. But two Yakuza alphas named Haru and Eiji run most of it. They keep track of the cargo and put it on outbound transport. It has been a small selective operation. The Yakuza wanted to expand that.” At that moment Ivan reached the top of the stairs. “No, Ivan, please don’t hurt my son,” Mikael begged.

“Ivan,” Victor’s voice was sticky sweet. “Your father and I are having a little talk. If I don’t like his answers, I am going to shoot out your knee cap. All right?”

Ivan swallowed hard but he glanced around the room and his eyes landed on Yuuri. Without a word he pulled out a chair and sat down. Accepting his fate. 

“Why use my port?” 

“You were the perfect cover. You hate human trafficking. You run charities to help victims who have escaped and raise money to help other charities who aid people in getting out of those situations. Drugs, of course. Weapons, yes. But no one would believe a port of Victor Nikiforov’s would have human trafficking.”

“How long?”

“The Yakuza approached us the year after you became Pakhan. They came to us at the Italian peace summit.” 

A sudden movement drew Victor’s attention, he looked to his left where Phichit had been holding Dimitri at gun point. Somehow Dimitri had gotten his good hand on a gun and he was aiming it at Victor. 

Then two red spots bloomed on his forehead. Phichit had not even moved his gun, instead the young man spun around while Dimitri was still falling to the floor. “Yuuri?”

Victor kicked Mikael’s gun away from him and then took a step back toward where Yuuri had fallen. “Yuuri?” He asked.

“Ouch, that really fucking hurt.” 

Victor found himself smiling, that was a first, he didn’t think he had ever heard the omega curse before. “Sara, get up here.” 

Sara came up the stairs. 

“You could have told me you put him in a vest.” 

“But then you wouldn’t have surprise backup when you needed it. Also, nobody noticed the lack of blood. You all need to be more observant.” Sara shook her head and went to Yuuri’s side. 

“Sara can you tie Mikael up and get Chris up here to bandage his leg. I want him transported back to St. Petersburg. There is still more information I need to get out of him but not here and not now. Right now, I need to get Yuuri home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
> 
> Thank you all for your kind comments and Kudos. I appreciate you all and you feed my writers soul.


	9. The Nest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuri builds a nest and Yuuri and Victor get a chance to talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone,  
> Thank you all for your continued support and wonderful comments and Kudos. I appreciate them so much. They feed my writers soul. You just have no idea. Thank you. 
> 
> This chapter is a little longer than usual for two reasons   
> 1) I really wanted to give you guys Yuuri and Victor's conversation- at least the beginning of it. :-)   
> 2) I've had a stressful week and writing is my therapy so I just kept going when I was editing. LOL 
> 
> Trigger warning   
> Yuuri wakes up panicking because he can't remember the night before   
> Yuuri has a panic attack over something Phichit says
> 
> I will mark both off.
> 
> As always this is unbetaed so any mistakes are mine and mine alone please feel free to tell me if I have made any glaring grammatical errors. Also please do not post to another site. 
> 
> Read with joy my friends.

Phichit pulled Yuuri’s arm around him and helped him off the floor as gently as he could. Yuuri waited until Mikael’s hands were tied before he slipped the gun back into its holster. 

Victor approached him. “Yuuri, thank you, you saved my life.”

“No, I didn’t really. Phichit would have – “

“Stop Yuuri.” Phichit cut him off. “Accept the compliment. Let the Pakhan be in debt to you.” 

Victor smiled at Phichit and nodded. “Listen to your friend. Are you all right?” 

“Literally every part of my body hurts. And I think I bent my glasses when I fell.”

“Don’t worry, solnyshko, I will have someone come to the house and get you fitted for new glasses by the end of the week. And as soon as we are home Emil can give you something for pain.”

Ivan rose from his chair after they dragged his father out of the room. He walked over to Victor. “I am prepared for however you want to punish me.” 

“Victor, you won’t really punish Ivan for what his father did will you?” Yuuri asked tilting his head to the side and looking up at Victor. He was surprised to find the other man’s eyes hard, and he looked cold. “Ivan hasn’t done anything to betray you. And his sister is only seventeen.”

“You know how old his sister is?” Victor’s icy demeaner seemed to crack. “How do you know that?”

“Ivan and I talked in the garden one day while you were in meetings. Ivan is very loyal to you and so is his sister, Natalia. They are not responsible for their father’s actions.”

“No,” Ivan said. “But we make excellent leverage.” 

Victor smiled. “All right Yuuri, I suppose if I am willing to kill for you, I can be willing to let people live for you too. But I agree with you as well Ivan. You might take a few bruises for the sake of gaining information?”

Ivan looked from Victor to Yuuri and back. “Yes, thank you, yes I would be more than happy to help.” 

“Go, you still need to drive us back to the airport. Try not to let your father see you walking around with everyone,” Victor said. 

“Thank you, Victor,” Yuuri whispered, the enormity of what he just talked Victor out of hitting him. Along with the pain, again. Everything hurt. He leaned heavily on Phichit who stood quietly observing the exchange. Not at all like him. 

“What are you going to do about the buyers?” Phichit asked. 

“Have them rerouted to St. Petersburg. Come on, the cleaners need to get in here and I want to get Yuuri home.” 

Yuuri limped down the stairs each step felt like it was jostling his bruises on his back and his chest. He was whimpering in pain by the time they reached the ground floor. Victor had stayed by his side on the stairs, now he simply swept him up in his arms. Yuuri caught his breath. And grabbed his shirt without thinking.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have made you walk down those stairs. With the bruising on your back and now the new bruising you must have on your chest.”

“Everything hurts.”

Phichit stayed at their side and sat next to Yuuri in the van this time. Kenji was on his other side. He was grinning at Yuuri. “You are amazing. You said you would get us out and you did! I want to be as smart as you when I get older.”

Yuuri smiled weekly at his younger cousin. “Thank you, Kenji.” 

Victor was back on the phone as soon as they were in the van and spent the entire time talking to people in Russian. He hardly paused to take a breath between phone calls. 

“He likes you.” Phichit muttered to Yuuri in Thai.

“No, he just appreciates that I saved his life.” Yuuri replied in the same language. 

“How long did it take you to learn each other’s languages?” Chris asked breaking up their private conversation.

“A year maybe two.” Phichit shrugged. “It’s hard to remember exactly when Yuuri became fluent. I was learning Japanese at the same time. We both already knew English. We basically agreed to only speak to each other in Thai when we were alone until Yuuri was fluent. And everyone else around me spoke Japanese. Plus, it was fun. We had a language that none of the adults, and later none of the alphas could understand. We could always tell secrets.”

“That’s encouraging you should both pick up on Russian quickly then. If we make sure you are immersed in the language.” 

Yuuri nodded not really processing. He let his head fall to Phichit’s shoulder and his eyes fall shut. 

“Yuuri, mon ami, don’t sleep just yet,” Chris said gently.

“Why not?” Yuuri knew sounded like a petulant child but he did not care.

“When we get back to the jet, I need to get that vest off you and check to see if you might have internal bleeding. That is going to make a difference in whether or not we fly.” Chris explained. “I’m sure if you want to nap on the flight back to St. Petersburg Victor will not mind, after you eat of course.”

Yuuri sighed and continued to lean against Phichit. “All right, I won’t fall asleep.”

As if in agreement his stomach growled loud enough for Chris to hear, the alpha chuckled. “You will definitely want to eat before you sleep.”

***

Victor had people going to collect Haru and Eiji by the time they were on the road back to the airport. They were going to be moved to an empty warehouse outside of St. Petersburg. Another phone call had JJ Leroy and half a dozen of his trusted men on their way to his home. A third confirmed that the cleaners had arrived at the docks and Dimitri was being taken care of quietly and discreetly. 

This last part would be a challenge. Victor loved a challenge. 

All four of the people coming to buy the omegas were flying into this airport. They were all scheduled to arrive in private jets. It was inconvenient to take a trafficked omega on a public flight. With a few bribes to the right people and a little bit of pressure from the Bratva on a few others he managed to get all the flights rerouted to a small airstrip outside of St. Petersburg that he used. 

There the buyers would be met by his car and brought to his house. Then the fun would begin. 

Their arrival times were staggered two a day for two days. They had been confident enough that they could get Yuuri back they never cancelled his sale. The first buyer scheduled to arrive was Isabella’s. After that Kenji’s, then the next day Phichit’s and finally Yuuri’s. 

JJ should arrive the day before Isabella’s buyer. That was good since he figured the man had a right to be involved in this process. 

He heard Yuuri in the back seat say he would not fall asleep and he wanted to climb over the seats and wrap the omega in his arms and protect him from everything. Gods and goddesses, he thought he was dead. He thought he lost him before he even really had a chance to court him properly. He could never thank Sara enough for her foresight to put him in a vest. 

He was going to rip Mikael apart piece by piece and watch him bleed to death slowly for hurting his Yuuri. He glanced over at where Ivan was driving the van. 

“You owe Yuuri your life.”

“And Natalia’s.” Ivan nodded. “I won’t forget.” 

“It would have been a rash and emotional decision to punish you for your father’s crimes. But he seems to react well to the threat of harm to you.” 

“I am his alpha child,” there was bitterness in Ivan’s voice.

“What does that mean?”

“He never treated Natalia the same way he treated me. First, she dared to be born a girl, then she presented as omega. If my father could not get her mated to someone in power, she was useless to him. But I carry strong alpha genes to pass to the next generation.” 

“She’s seventeen, she shouldn’t even be thinking of mating she should be in school,” Victor could not keep the note of disgust from his voice.

“Well, he was not what you would call a loving father. He was a father with goals. And we were him means to an end.”

“I should have been paying better attention to the people I trusted.” Victor sighed and ran a hand over his face. 

Ivan shrugged. “He can be very charismatic and comes across as quite normal. Until you dig a little deeper.” 

“I am the Pakhan it is my job to dig deeper. You and Natalia will move into the mansion.”

Ivan was quiet for a moment. “Thank you, Victor.” 

They finally arrived back at the airstrip and once again Victor swept Yuuri up into his arms. He carried him all the way onto the plane and into the bedroom. Chris and Phichit followed. Phichit gave Victor a critical look. “You can go, I’ll take care of him.” Phichit said firmly.

Apparently, the small Thai omega had never learned the lesson about omegas not speaking first. Victor liked him. Chris did too. He beamed at the younger man. But turned all his attention on Yuuri and decided to let them work things out between them.

“Yuuri, I’m going to help you get out of the vest and it might hurt. I have a shot of morphine in the medical bag. After you eat something, I can give it to you. But you haven’t eaten in so long I’m afraid it would make you sick if I gave it to you before you ate.” Chris explained.

Phichit continued to glare at Victor but he refused to move. Yuuri looked from Victor to Phichit. “Please don’t fight.” 

“We aren’t fighting Yuuri. I am just cock blocking lover boy here because he doesn’t need to be trying to get in your pants when you are injured.” Phichit clarified. 

Chris snorted on a laugh and Yuuri paused in unbuttoning the shirt he wore over the vest to level Phichit with a glare. 

Victor’s shirt. He was unbuttoning Victor’s shirt. When he had walked off the plane wearing Victor’s clothes there was a moment when every possessive instinct, Victor had reared its head and he wanted nothing more than to take Yuuri back on the plane and claim him. But he was past that at this point. 

“I assure you I am not here to in any way attempt to seduce Yuuri. He is part of the Bratva now and as such he is under my care. He is injured and it is my responsibility to make sure that he is okay. I often help tend the injured after a battle.”

“That’s actually true.” Victor watched Chris help Yuuri slide the shirt down his arms. He saw Yuuri flinch with every movement. “Victor often helps with the wounded.” 

Phichit sighed dramatically. “Fine you can stay. But I’m watching you Nikiforov.”

“I would expect nothing less.” Victor beamed at Phichit. 

Chris undid the Velcro on either side of the vest. “All right Yuuri. You are going to have to lift your arms. Can you do that for me or do you want Phichit or Victor to help you.” 

Victor watched as Yuuri attempted to lift his arms above his head, then he whimpered and whispered, “I need help.”

Phichit was at his side in a heartbeat and lifted his arms so they could get the damaged vest off. Then they went through the whole process again to get his shirt off. 

Finally, Victor saw the bruises on his beloved’s chest. To huge purple marks that bled out away from the center. His back was still a mass of purple, green, and blue bruising in various stages of healing, some places hit so many times the skin split and opened. Chris was probing his chest lightly with his fingers. 

Yuuri had tears building in his eyes and Victor wanted to order Chris to stop except he knew the this was the best thing for Yuuri. “Well?”

“I think a cracked rib, maybe two, but I don’t see signs of internal bleeding beyond bruising.” 

Victor nodded. “I’ll give the order to take off.” 

He turned and left the room. He heard Chris telling Yuuri he was going to get some of Emil’s magic bruise cream as he went out. “It’s in a black bag, but it’s just a first aid kit…”

He was going to enjoy killing Mikael.

***  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Yuuri woke up in an unfamiliar bed for the second time in as many days. He had no memory of how he got here. Panic trickled down his spine and settled in his stomach like a lead weight for a moment he couldn’t breathe, and his finger shook.

The room smelled like lemon cleaner and fresh air. He lifted his head and noticed a window cracked open. There was a small seating area with a sofa, two chairs, and a table in front of the windows. 

This was not a hotel. 

The furniture looked expensive, the table was real wood not something fake that hotels used. 

He searched his memory.

He was shot. Chris bandaged his chest and cleared him to fly. Phichit took him to get some food and he remembered taking a few bites then Chris offering him a painkiller he agreed, and they gave him an injection in his arm. Then things got hazy. 

He thought he remembered a doctor. A new bandage, another injection, then waking up here, alone. 

He was in the Pakhan’s home. That thought did not calm him. Instead, he rolled onto his back realizing he had been lying in his side supported by a body pillow. As soon as he moved pain lanced from his chest to his back.   
___________________________________________________________________________________________  
He lay still and breathed for a few minutes letting himself get used to the pain. He could do this. When he was sure he could move without falling over he stood. His glasses were on a table next to the bed. They sat slightly crooked on his face, but it was better than everything being blurry. 

He slowly explored the room. There were three doors. He left the one directly across from the windows for last. One led to the bathroom, a huge tub and a shower with multiple shower heads met his searching gaze. It looked like a luxury spa. 

The door on the opposite wall led to a closet. His bag sat on a self by the door. His shoes were on the floor. Two dress bags hung at the back of the closet. The very back had a small area separated by a half wall with a built-in shelf on the very back wall. Yuuri was sure this was supposed to be a make-up desk or a place to store purses. But it made the space perfect for his needs. 

He moved slowly, trying to avoid as much pain as possible. He took all the cushions from the sofa and put them on the floor. The he took the lamp from the bedside table and put it on the shelf plugging it in. Yuuri had not liked the dark before his punishment. He hated it now. He plugged the lamp in and switched it on then turned the overhead light in the closet off. 

He went to the bed and peeled away the sheets and the blankets and dragged them into the closet. He covered the cushions then slowly built the sides of his nest. Finally, he went to the bed and grabbed the body pillow. He dragged it into the closet and put it into the nest. It was soft and comfy to sleep on. It cushioned the bruises. He closed the door to the closet and laid down in his nest. 

His panic subsided. He was safe here. 

After a few minutes he stood up and went to his bag. He rummaged through it for clean clothes. He pulled out a pair of leggings and an old t-shirt. He was hungry. He should go see if he could find the kitchen. 

He opened the closet door and scanned the room. It was empty. Then he crept through the room and to the final door. He cracked the door open and he saw a wide hallway with a soft plush carpet and directly across from his room was a room with the door slightly ajar. The most wonderful scent Yuuri had ever smelled was coming from the room. 

Ice and sandalwood with a hint of roses. It crept into his heart and screamed ‘mate’. Without thinking he crossed the hall and went into the room. He had no idea who the room belonged to, except the alpha was his mate. 

But he belonged to the Pakhan. 

Maybe if he explained… 

There was a whole living room through this door. A couch with a blanket and pillow. Two chairs, a coffee table, a huge TV, and even a gaming system. There was a desk on the far wall it was meticulously organized. But Yuuri was pulled to the sofa where he could smell his mate the strongest. They laid under this blanket. They put their head on this pillow. 

He should leave, instead he moved to the door on the far wall and looked into the massive bedroom. There was a beautiful bed with a carved wooden headboard. Lots of pillows and a silky looking comforter. His fingers itched to build a nest on this bed. Instead, he grabbed the neatly folded sleep pants off the foot of the bed and ran out of the room. He took the blanket and pillow on his way out and retreated to his nest. 

He ignored his body screaming at him. His instincts to make a safe place were stronger. He reworked the walls of his nest with his alpha’s sleep pants. He put his alpha’s pillow and blanket in the nest. He would sleep under this blanket. 

The pain and effort caught up with Yuuri. He was too tired to find food. He would eat later. He laid down resting on his side with his head on the stolen pillow and his body supported on the body pillow then he pulled the blanket over him and fell asleep in the light of the single lamp surrounded by his alpha’s scent.

***

“Has anyone seen Yuuri yet today?” Victor asked as he walked into the kitchen for lunch. There was a huge island with chairs all around it. It was half full already with Yuuri’s friends, Yura, Mickey, Emil, and Georgi. 

“No,” Phichit said. “But that’s not surprising. He can sleep till noon without pain killers.” 

Kenji giggled. “He’s really not a morning person.” 

Victor smiled, but he could tell it was his media smile. He was a little surprised Yuuri’s friends were so quick to tease him when he did just save their lives. 

Chris and Mila walked into the kitchen and even his father and mother showed up. Then as if he had gotten an invitation a sleepy eyed Yuuri stumbled into the kitchen. 

“Yuuri, you found the kitchen!” Victor exclaimed with a grin.

“One of the housekeepers told me how to get here.” He looked around at the people gathered in the kitchen. “Is it alright if we eat here.” 

Victor noticed he included his friends checking on their well being as well as his own. “Of course, Yuuri, the kitchen is open to everyone.” 

“Thank you Pa –“ Victor narrowed his eyes Yuuri flushed. “Thank you, Victor.” 

Victor beamed at Yuuri. “What would you like for lunch?”

“We were debating grilled cheese sandwiches and soup or macaroni and cheese with hot dogs before everyone showed up.” Phichit announced. 

“There is no debate,” Yakov said. “We are having grilled cheese sandwiches and soup. Especially now that Mila is here. She makes the best grilled cheese. The only thing up for debate is what kind of soup we will be eating.” 

Phichit grinned. Completely unphased by the former Pakhan’s gruff announcement. “Vegetable soup is good.” Phichit suggested. 

Victor shook his head, Phichit might drive Yakov as crazy as he did. 

Yakov nodded. “I agree and we have some in the freezer.” 

Victor watched as the kitchen burst into a flurry of activity. Even the new omegas were helping. Except Yuuri. Emil sat him down in a chair and told him not to move. He looked uncomfortable and fidgeted in his seat. 

Victor moved toward Yuuri, he wanted to talk to him. But before he could get there a housekeeper entered the kitchen and beckoned him over. 

“When I went to vacuum your room, I noticed that the blanket and pillow from your sofa where gone. I didn’t think much of it, until I went into your bedroom. You always fold your clothes and put them in the same place. They were gone as well.” 

Victor frowned, and his mind immediately began going through a list of reasons someone might steal his things. “Thank you for telling me. I appreciate that you let me know immediately.” 

The woman nodded and slipped out of the room. They had disloyal people in the Bratva right now and he did not like the thought that one of them might be in the mansion taking his things.

Victor started towards Yuuri again, but Chris walked to his side when they were only a few steps away. He always seemed to be able to sense when there was an issue. It made him an excellent second. “Is there a problem?” 

“Someone stole some items from my room.” He heard Yuuri draw in a deep breath. The omega turned toward him with huge brown eye wide. Well, Victor though, that was interesting. Why was Yuuri stealing his things? 

***

Yuuri sat in his chair feeling useless. Emil told him that he needed to rest in order to heal. Then he heard Victor talking to Chris about things being stolen from his room. His heart started to pound. It was Victor’s room. He had taken things from the Pakhan. 

The Pakhan was his mate. Victor came and sat in the chair next to him and oh, he smelled lovely. How could it be fair for one person to look and smell so good. He had to talk to him. Tell him what he did. 

Yuuri took a sip of the water in front of him. The he leaned in close to Victor and asked very quietly, “Victor, what will you do to the person who stole your things?” 

Victor looked over at him, his gaze serious. He turned his head so he could speak close to Yuuri’s ear. This close Yuuri could only smell Victor. It made his heart pound and he started to sweat. 

“Well, Yuuri, that depends on who stole my things and why.” Victor’s breath was warm against his ear. “If it was Yura playing a practical joke I will laugh, demand my things back, and figure out a joke I can play on him.” 

“What if it wasn’t a joke?” 

“If it was one of my enemies, I will catch them and punish them.”

“What… what if it was something else?” 

“Victor.” The former Pakhan’s voice boomed down the table. “Are you going to introduce your new friend?”

Victor pulled away and smiled down the table. Yuuri felt his stomach clench. He was so beautiful when he smiled. “Yakov, mother, meet Yuuri Katsuki.” 

Yuuri hopped off the chair. “Sir, Madam Baranovskaya.” He moved to bow and Emil appeared at his side and caught him before he could. 

“No bowing. Sit down.” Emil ordered.

“But all the alphas aren’t seated.” 

Emil gave him a sad look. “Yuuri, I’m an omega and I’m a doctor. Georgi is omega and he is a lawyer. Do you think we care who sits down first?”

Yuuri let himself be guided back into the chair next to Victor. Phichit came over with a bowl and a plate and placed them in front of him. The soup smelled delicious, melty burned cheese sneaked out the sides of the sandwich. 

“I left a bottle of painkillers upstairs in your bedside drawer, Yuuri. But you need to eat before you take them and they will make you sleepy.” Emil explained from the seat he snagged further down the table. 

Phichit disappeared, then reappeared with his own food. He took the seat on the other side of Yuuri. Even Victor got up and got his own food. Yuuri felt absolutely useless. 

“Yuuri, how did you know my name?” Victor’s mother, Madame Baranovskaya asked. 

“My godmother, Minako Okukawa, spoke very highly of you. She used to dance with you.”

The woman looked at him thoughtfully. “Do you dance?”

"Ye-"

“Not right now he doesn’t” Emil announced. “He needs time to heel before he starts trying to dance.” 

“How long?” The older woman asked. 

“Minimum of three weeks. I would prefer four.” 

She nodded. “Yuuri, in four weeks we will start dancing. We will go slow to get you back in shape and so you can continue to heel.” 

“Thank you Madam-“

“Call me Lilia. Everyone else does, except Victor.” She gave Victor a fond look. 

“Isabella, I’m curious. What exactly did you do to get taken by the Yakuza?” Mila asked as she sat down at the table with her sandwich and soup. 

“She didn’t do anything,” Phichit piped up.

“No, they were punishing JJ.” Isabella pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and looked up with a tiny smile. “JJ can be abrasive sometimes.”

“Abrasive being the gentle way of putting it,” Phichit muttered.

“He just needs to better brain to mouth filter.” Bella argued.

“Yes, we don’t know anyone else like that do we Phichit?” Yuuri asked.

“Wait, since we are telling stories,” Victor interrupted “How did Phichit’s hands get untied and how did you know Yuuri?”

“That’s easy,” Bella smiled. “I untied them. We have been practicing for weeks because we knew that we might be put in a situation where we needed to be able to untie each other so we all practiced at night untying someone else.” 

“I knew because I could see it written all over his face. He was practically begging me for a gun.” 

“He raised his eyebrows and I nodded.” Phichit deadpanned.

“My way was more dramatic.” 

“Anyway, they picked the perfect time, they had to be watching. They waited until JJ and I have a fight about the wedding and then they took me a left a note that I had run off.” 

“But why?” Mila asked.

“He wanted Yuuri to work for him and he said that he understood that Yuuri and Phichit where a package deal. He implied in a heavy-handed manner that there was a sexual relationship between them and even offered to send back the first child at thirteen if they should conceive.” 

“Sweet gods and goddesses. No wonder he got pissed.” Mila muttered. “I cannot imagine the Oyabun is a fan of omegas being in relationships with other omegas.”

“No,” Phichit confirmed. 

“JJ never believed the Bella ran away,” Kenji interjected. “Within hours of her disappearance he was searching the webs for her. The dark webs too. They brought her to Hasetsu to make her invisible. Nothing happens in Hasetsu that is not Yakuza controlled.” 

Yuuri shifted in his seat. This was the part that made him uncomfortable and he hoped Phichit used some discretion when talking about it. He was still the only one who brought nothing to the table and who was most at risk in their new home. 

“By that time Yuuri and I had already been shipped back home because we are bad omegas. Since we are so bad, we were not permitted to stay in Tokyo.” Phichit took a bite of his grilled cheese and chewed thoughtfully for a minute. “It was worse for Yuuri. He was in the room when JJ talked to the Oyabun. I think that after that the Oyabun always blamed him for things that went wrong. That wasn’t the first time he had you beaten though, until this last time, it was one of the worst.” 

Phichit sounded thoughtful and pensive. Yuuri wanted to disappear into the floor. Now everyone at the table, Victor, his second, his cousin, his parents, knew the truth. He was a bad omega who earned multiple beatings from him alpha before Victor. 

Idle conversations were breaking out around the table and Yuuri took a sip of his soup when that wonderful scent of ice, sandal wood, and roses got closer to him. “Yuuuurrrriii, why did you take my things?” 

The way he drew out his name in an almost sing song way made Yuuri think he was not angry. But what if he was? And how did he know?

Yuuri carefully laid his spoon next to his bowl and refolded his napkin. “They smelled so good. I …I just usedtheminmynest.” 

“I see.” Victor pulled back and sat in silence for a moment. Yuuri wondered if he was going to throw him out now or later. “Is there anything else you would like?” 

Of all the responses Victor could give this was the last one Yuuri could have expected. He dragged his gaze from the half-eaten bowl of soup in front of him to Victor’s face. He did not look mad.

“No!” Phichit slammed his fist onto the solid granite table top and Yuuri jumped turning toward his friend who was facing the opposite direction looking at Chris. “I did not just escape being a bond slave to some alpha to come to Russia and be forced into a relationship. I am here for my skills with a gun. Not to try to hook up with some alpha. That was Yuuri’s job. Not mine.”   
________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Phichit was facing Chris but he spoke loud enough the whole table could hear. Yuuri felt the shaking in his hands, and the catch in his breathing. A sure sign that a panic attack was not far behind. He felt his cheeks turn red and tried to hold his breath so he would not start to cry in front of everyone.

“If you will excuse me, I think I need to go lay down for a little while.” He mumbled the words not sure if anyone heard and slid out of the chair ignoring the pain along his back.   
“No, wait Yuuri, I didn’t mean…” He ignored Phichit and missed the rest of what he said because he was already out of the kitchen. 

Victor’s mansion was huge and there were several staircases and different wings. Yuuri stumbled through the house until he found a little statue of a man on a horse that was at the base of his staircase. He climbed the stairs ignoring the pain, found his room and dropped into his nest. There he finally let himself cry.   
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
***

Victor’s first instinct was to follow Yuuri. But Kenji and Phichit both told him not to. 

“He’s probably embarrassed and wants some time alone,” Kenji pointed out. 

Phichit nodded. “He gets like that sometimes.”

Victor couldn’t help wondering if his friends did not say carelessly hurtful things around him if perhaps he would get like that less. Still Victor finished his lunch to give Yuuri the time and space he might need. 

Then he picked up Yuuri’s plate and headed upstairs. He was not going to simply ignore his omega when he was hurting. Yuuri said he built a nest, so he anticipated finding him in his room. The door to his room was opened just a bit. He poked his head in. “Yuuri?”

He expected to see a nest on the bed with his omega curled up in it. What he saw was a torn apart room. No nest, no Yuuri.

He stepped into the room willing himself to be calm even as he pulled out his cell phone to call Sara and have her get people up here to find Yuuri when he heard a noise from the closet. 

Walking over to investigate the noise resolved into soft crying and occasional Japanese words. He slipped into the closet. As he entered Yuuri saw him. He was laying with his arm around a big brown poodle. Crying into her fur. She thumped her tail and Yuuri sat up. 

“I don’t know who she belongs to.” Yuuri indicated the dog. 

“Me, her name is Makkachin, but usually I call he Makka.” 

“Oh, I…she just wondered in here…I didn’t I mean…” Yuuri trailed of and rubbed the heal of his hand into his eye. “I’m sorry.”

"For what, petting my dog? You have nothing to be sorry for." Victor walked till his stood just outside the nest then he gave Makka a command in Russian to go downstairs. She jumped up and ran out of the room. It was time for him and Yuuri to have a little talk. Victor sat down facing the nest. 

“This is a lovely nest, Yuuri.” 

“Thank you.” He seemed hesitant like he was not sure he believed Victor.

“Do you need more nesting materials? I can show you were some are. I’ll even carry them back and scent them for you.” 

Yuuri’s eyes widened and he watched Victor for a second like he thought this might be a trick. “I would like that.” 

“Why don’t you eat your sandwich first.” He broke off a bite sized piece of the sandwich and held it out. Yuuri scooted close to the edge of the nest and took the food. “Did you know Yuuri that Mila and I have never dated. We often pretend for different functions or fundraisers where we know there will be pushy parents. It keeps people from throwing their omega children at me.” 

“You were with her at the beach?” Yuuri accepted another bite of sandwich after his question. 

“Yes, she’s my secretary. She always has been, but we were young. We were running away from work. And I found you.” Victor handed Yuuri another bite. “Did you know Yuuri I could smell you that night?” 

“That’s not possible. I hadn’t presented yet.” 

“I smelled cherry blossoms and I kept getting hints of vanilla. All burnt around the edges with your distress.”

“I hadn’t presented yet.” Yuuri repeated staring at the bite of sandwich in his hand like it had the answers.

“No, but I knew that night you were my mate. I thought I could smell you even though you were beta because you were my mate. When I saw you again-“

Victor paused and looked pointedly at the food in Yuuri’s hand. Yuuri put it in his mouth. 

“When I saw you again you were the most beautiful person I ever laid eyes on.” 

Yuuri narrowed his eyes. “You sent me away!” 

Victor handed Yuuri another bite. “I did. It was not until I got close to you and smelled you that I realized who you were. It was six years ago. You were not wearing your glasses and your hair was slicked back. Plus, you went from beta to omega.”

“Yuuri, you looked completely different, and so sexy. The moment I saw you I thought… impure thoughts. I was furious with myself because I believed I was betraying my mate. When I smelled you and realized who you were, I knew I would do anything you asked for the chance to bring you back here to Russia and court you.” 

Victor held out the last bite of sandwich but instead of taking it Yuuri grabbed his hand and dragged his wrist to his face. Yuuri pushed back the sleeve to his dress shirt and inhaled deeply at his scent gland. 

Yuuri turned his head without releasing Victors wrist and took the last bite from his hand, his tongue swiping over Victor’s fingers. Victor felt himself blush. Yuuri looked at Victor through his lashes. “I want your shirt.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading I hope you enjoyed this chapter.


	10. Learning the ropes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More talking and JJ arrives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your wonderful comments and all the lovely Kudos. You all feed my writers heart and make me want to write more stories. 
> 
> This chapter has some organized crime related mentions of torture but only for OC's.
> 
> This story is unbetaed so any and all mistakes are my own. I apologize in advance and if you see any glaring mistakes let me know and I will fix them. 
> 
> At the end of the chapter strange Head Cannon I have made up for this story. Because I am weird and overthink things. 
> 
> Read with joy my friends.

“Excuse me?” Victor didn’t sound angry, just confused.

“Downstairs you asked if there was anything else, I wanted. The one I have has bullet holes in it and it doesn’t smell like you.” Yuuri had no idea how Victor would react to this demand, but Victor smiled and the tension in Yuuri’s shoulders eased. 

“Would you like it now, or at the end of the day?” Victor sounded sultry as he ran his fingers up the buttons. 

Yuuri bit his lower lip and turned his head to smell Victor’s wrist again. “You smell so good, my alpha.” 

Yuuri realized immediately what he said. He dropped victor’s wrist as if it burned him and scooted back away form him until his back hit the wall and pain blossomed on the opened wounds there. 

Victor dropped both hands. He looked concerned. But he moved the plate out of the way and moved all the way to the edge of the nest. “Yuuri, what’s wrong? Do you not want me to be your alpha? Was Phichit right, where you just there to try to seduce me into helping you?” 

Was that a hint of the hardness and anger in his voice everyone had warned him about? His icy blue gaze was laser focused on Yuuri? He had to make him understand. 

“You don’t understand. You don’t want me,” Yuuri tried to explain. He tore his gaze away from Victor’s and looked down at the blanket he pulled it up over his legs. “I’m a bad omega. I talk back, and I’m demanding. I am not beautiful like you. I wear glasses. I have fat thighs, no matter how much I diet or exercise that does not change. I am the only omega you helped save that has absolutely nothing to offer you-“

“Yuuri stop.” Yuuri looked up. The hardness was gone from Victor’s voice. He held up a hand to stem the flow of words coming from Yuuri. With the other hand he pinched the bridge of his nose. The scent of his frustration and annoyance filled the small space. “You are not a bad omega. I like it when you speak your mind. It is sexy as hell. You have clearly never looked in a mirror if you think I am the beautiful one. Your glasses are adorable. As far as being demanding you can have anything you want.” 

There was something about the way he said the word anything that sent a shiver up Yuuri’s spine. Yuuri smelled the change in his scent. Victor was not annoyed anymore. He was aroused. 

“And your thighs, Yuuri, I could spend hours between your thighs, and it would not be long enough.” 

“Oh,” Yuuri fought to find something intelligent to say. “I like kissing you.” 

Brilliant, apparently, he not only lacked intelligence but also a brain to mouth filter like his dear friend Phichit. 

Victor smiled. “I like kissing you too Yuuri.” 

“I was never going to seduce you into helping us. I told you the first night that I just needed the gloves to smell like your arousal and the Oyabun had to believe you were interested in me. You never had to kiss me. That part was your idea.”

“I know that, Yuuri. You were clear with what you needed. I kissed you because I wanted to. I wanted to then and I want to now.” 

“Do you?” Yuuri scooted away from the wall the blanket falling from his lap as he moved toward the edge of the nest. “Do you think you want to be my alpha?” 

Victor looked hesitant. Yuuri’s stomach tied in a knot. He should have known it was too good to be true. “Yuuri, you being here, with the Bratva, safe in this house, it is not dependent on me being your alpha or you being my mate. If that’s not what you want it’s okay to tell me.” 

Victor did not want to tell him no right now because he could see he was upset. Maybe he even wanted to have sex with him. He said he liked his thighs. That Yuuri could understand. His brain kicked in again. Yuuri nodded. “Uhm, what if we could like… date… but not bond or anything permanent. Then, I don’t know… see what happens?” Victor would not really choose him. He was beautiful and kind and patient with Yuuri. Yuuri did not deserve an alpha like that. 

“Yuuurrii, I think that is a brilliant idea.” Victor beamed at him with a warm heart shaped smile. Then without further warning he started to unbutton his shirt. 

Oh, sweet gods and goddesses, Yuuri had not been prepared for that. He had never seen Victor topless, but each button revealed more gorgeous muscular chest with a light dusting of silver hair that disappeared into his pants. He had pretty pink nipples, everything about him was perfect. Yuuri soaked in every detail. 

“Yuuri, if you keep looking at me like that, I am going to beg for permission to come into your nest and ravage you. Which is against doctor’s orders right now.”

Yuuri dragged his gaze up to Victor’s face. “Why would you want me? You could have anyone.” 

“Oh, solnyshko, you really have no idea how devastating you are do you? Here.” He handed over his shirt and picked up the plate. “I am going to go find a new shirt and calm down some before JJ gets here.” 

Victor left the closet and Yuuri sat with the shirt pressed to his nose. It smelled like Victor, ice and sandal wood, a hint of roses and some aroused pheromones. Beautiful, sweet, Victor. The Pakhan. Victor, who did not want to just be a means to an end, but also wanted to let him down gently. 

He stood up and went to the bathroom where he carefully unwrapped his bandages and showered. There was bruise cream on his bathroom counter along with a new toothbrush and toothpaste. He brushed his teeth and put on the bruise cream then put the bandage back on the best he could. He slicked back his hair, and then going back to the closet he slipped on Victor’s shirt with his favorite pair of skinny jeans. 

He would prove he had a place here. 

He went downstairs and asked the first guard he saw if they could take him to Victor’s office. 

“The Pakhan does not see people during the day without appointments.” The large beta guard told him.

“He’ll see me.” 

The guard just shrugged. “This will be fun.”

***

Victor was in the outer office with Chris and Mila when there was a knock on the door. They were not expecting JJ for another hour or they would already have Isabella, and most likely Yuuri, here to make sure the initial meeting went smoothly.

Mila called out in Russian for who ever it was to come in. One of the guards walked in and explained there was an omega who wanted to see Victor. Victor took a deep breath preparing to give a lecture when Yuuri stepped past the guard. 

All the breath left his body. 

He was wearing jeans that clung to his legs like they were painted on. His hair was slicked back away from his face. And he was in Victor’s shirt. So sexy. Then his glasses sat slightly crooked on his nose, so cute. How could he be so damn sexy and so cute at the same time. A strand of hair fell into his face. 

He looked enchanting. Victor said a prayer of thanks to whatever god had gifted him with Emil and his scent blockers. 

“Yuuri, did you need something?” He asked while waving off the stunned guard. 

“I, well, you know I trained in tactical planning. And I just planned and implemented a successful rescue mission, with help. I just thought that maybe I could help you. With whatever you are planning with JJ for the buyers.” He shoved his hands in his pockets pushing the shirt up slightly and Victor dragged his gaze from Yuuri’s hands to his face. 

He remembers that moment in the hotel when Yuuri told him to give Phichit Mikhael’s gun and he wants to see that light in his eyes again. This opportunity was too good to pass up. 

“That would be amazing. Come in, sit down. There are a few things we need to go over before you can take part in any operation for the Bratva,” Victor said.

Yuuri walked into the room as Chris pulled up an empty chair for him. 

“This.” Victor slid a small opaque square across the desk to Yuuri. “Dissolves under your tongue. It will completely mask your scent for twenty-four hours.” 

Victor saw the moment where Yuuri realized that he could not smell the people in the rom around him. His eyes got wide behind his glasses. 

“Some pheromones still get through,” Mila explained. “And omegas need to be a little more careful than alphas because the smell of slick can still get through. Which will throw off the illusion of an omega being an alpha really quick. Unless you think fast.” 

Chris snickered. “Why do I feel like you and Sara found that out the hard way?”

Mila gave an innocent smile. “I’ll never tell.”

“Go ahead and use it Yuuri,” Victor said.

“Do you have enough.”

Chris laughed. “Emil invented this stuff. He is always working on perfecting it. He makes huge batches of it every few days.” 

“No one, and I mean no one, leaves the mansion without one. They are the Bratva’s secret weapon,” Victor said.

He watched Yuuri take the little square and place it under his tongue. His lovely scent disappeared replaced only by the scent of Victor’s shirt. 

“You also need to understand that we never underestimate an opponent because of their secondary gender. A beta or an omega can be just as deadly as an alpha. My bodyguard Sara is an omega.” 

“And my mate,” Mila interjected happily.

“Georgi and Emil are both omegas. Yura who will eventually be my third is an omega.” 

“So, you will let me help? Because I have a few ideas.” 

“Do tell, mon ami.” Chris leaned forward in his seat. 

Victor smiled, his Yuuri was going to fit right in. 

***

“JJ!” Bella threw herself into her alpha’s arms a huge grin on her face. She kissed him on the lips and he held her tight around the waist. 

When he pulled back, he looked at Victor, then at Yuuri, and back at Victor. “Tell me the truth love. Was Nikiforov holding you all this time?” 

“No, no, no. JJ, I don’t know how much they have told you but these two men Yuuri and the Pakhan rescued me from being sold as a bond slave. Then they reunited me with you. It was the Oyabun who took me.”

JJ nodded and pulled out of her embrace enough that he was only holding on of her hands. Yuuri smiled at the way the couple could not seem to stop touching. He wondered if Victor would ever feel that way about him. 

But Bella was very pretty, and she made people want to touch her. He was just Yuuri. He was lucky his alpha wanted him at all. 

JJ walked over to Yuuri. “Yuuri, I am in your debt. If there is ever anything, I can do for you please do not hesitate to ask.” 

He turned to the Pakhan. “Victor Nikiforov. It seems I am also in your debt. A position I like far less.” 

Victor chuckled, “Whether you are in debt to me or my mate it changes little.” 

Yuuri was startled by Victor using the word ‘mate’. Hadn’t they just agreed a few hours ago to take things slowly? This must just be because he wanted JJ to owe him a favor. 

JJ and Bella both turned to look at him. “Mate?” Bella asked.

“Uhm.” He did not dare meet Victor’s gaze. “Yes, Victor is my mate.” The sentence tasted like a lie in his mouth. 

“Yuuri, if you don’t want-“ Bella began.

“Bella, I’m wearing his shirt. That I asked him for. One with his scent on it.” 

“It does reek of alpha,” JJ agreed. 

Bella shook her head and gave a little laugh. “Only you Yuuri.” 

“What exactly does that mean?” Victor asked and his voice was cold. Yuuri took a step towards him ready to try to smooth things over. 

Bella just laughed again, bright and happy. “Only Yuuri could capture the heart of the notoriously cold and distant Pakhan. There is no one more worthy of love than our Yuuri and even the cold-hearted Victor Nikiforov could see it.”

“He isn’t cold hearted,” Yuuri argued.

Bella just laughed again. 

Victor smiled. “My Yuuri is quite wonderful. Isn’t he? Now, about that favor. I think that the Bratva and the Leroy’s should hold mutually beneficial contracts with each other. We share common beliefs around human trafficking. Moreover, you produce some excellent drugs to which I produce some excellent countermeasures. Think of the profit you could make if you became the only national distributor of the countermeasure to your own product.”

“I am open minded to those negotiations.” 

“Excellent.” 

“Before that,” Yuuri stepped forward, “Tonight is for relaxing and the next two days we will be running a mock auction.”

“Oh yes, JJ, this is going to be so much fun.” Bella bounced on her toes. “How much do you want to kill the person who ‘bought’ me?” 

JJ smiled an evil looking smile. “Is this your plan Yuuri?”

“Mine and Victor’s.” 

“I can’t wait.” 

***

It was midafternoon. Victor knew that Yuuri was napping. He felt a little guilty for earlier. When he announced to everyone that Yuuri was his mate. Something about the unmated male who was not his subordinate raked over his nerves. He could not allow even the impression that Yuuri was available especially after the other man complimented him. Saying he didn’t mind owing him a favor. 

Still it was possessive behavior that Victor was not used to from himself. He always swore he would not be one of those possessive alphas. He owed JJ and Yuuri an apology.

While Bella was settling into the suite she and JJ would be occupying for this and any future visits, building a nest and making it feel like her space in the mansion Victor figure he could at least make things up to JJ. 

Victor took JJ quietly aside. “Would you like to come and help me send a message to the Oyabun?” 

JJ looked somewhat surprised. “And how will we be doing that?" 

“These are the men who were the instigators of the sales of both our mates. I think we both have the right to send a clear message.” There was an apology and a warning in there somewhere. Victor was proud of himself for being so thoughtful. 

“In that case lead the way.” 

Victor’s driver took them to an abandon warehouse complex outside of the city. He drove through the maze of building to one near the center. There two men were being kept under guard.   
They hung, their zip tied wrists suspended from hooks, their feet kept just off the ground. Duct tape covered their mouths, but their eyes were uncovered. Their legs were zip tied together.   
“JJ, meet Haru and Eiji. These are the men the Oyabun sent to try to make deals in my territory without my knowledge or consent.”

“Are we going to kill them?”

“No. We are going to send a clear concise message that this will not be tolerated. We are going to take their eyes, their ears, their fingers, and their toes.” 

“Not their tongues?” JJ seemed surprised.

“No, they need those to report back to the Oyabun never to come into my territory again.” 

JJ nodded. “True, true, but only one needs his tongue for that.” 

Victor smiled. “I like the way you think.” Victor walked back and forth between the two men. He pushed them so they swung back and forth a bit from their tied hands. “How do we decide?”

“Oh, that’s easy. Let them pick.” 

Once again Victor smiled. JJ was growing on him. “Lower them down.” When the two men were standing on the floor, he ripped the duct tape from their faces. “Gentlemen…if you even qualify for that? Who should lose their tongue?” 

The one named Haru spoke quietly. “Let Eiji keep his tongue and his other body parts. I can be the message for you. He can take me home.” 

“Noble of you Haru, but a much less effective message. Haru keeps his tongue.” Victor turned toward the table with knives, gardening shears, and medical grade scalpels.”

“Wait, please, Eiji has a wife and children. I am alone. Let him at least keep his tongue to tell them he loves them.”

Victor turned to JJ. “What do you think?”

“Let the one with the wife keep his tongue, we can be compassionate.” 

“I agree.” Victor walked over to the table and chose a scalpel from the table. He motioned to the implements to JJ. “Would you like the honor of the first cut?” 

By the time they left two hours later the men were barely alive. At some point one of Emil’s highly trained nurses had arrived. She had treated their wounds and given them blood transfusions. Victor did not want to simply kill the Oyabun’s men. He wanted to send a clear and decisive message.

“I can send two of my men with yours to make the drop.” JJ offered. 

“Thank you.” 

“Do you know where you are taking them?”

“They will be going someplace safe. We will be dropping them off at Yu-topia Katsuki. Yuuri’s mother will take good care of them until the Oyabun picks them up.”

They arrived back at the mansion with time to shower and change before dinner. Victor looked down at the ruined pile of clothes on his bathroom floor. There was no way to get that much blood out of silk. 

It was worth it though. 

Tomorrow morning Isabella’s buyer would come and in the evening Kenji’s buyer would arrive. They needed to handle both those situations differently. But that was two more opportunities to hurt the Oyabun. 

Victor smiled as he stood under the water and it ran red for a moment cleaning his skin and leaving it pink and warm. The Yakuza would pay for intruding on his territory. But when he was most honest with himself, he was also making them pay for hurting his mate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay in my head cannon for this story supposedly any alpha can "be an omega's alpha". That simply implies a caring relationship between them except it has come to mean more. Yuuri referring to Victor as his alpha means a romantic and/or sexual relationship. Yuuri referring to the Oyabun implied ownership. But if he referred to his father or sister as his alpha that would just indicate a caring relationship. 
> 
> Being someone's mate is a step further and usually involves bonding with them and is long term - like lifetime. Being someone's alpha can be short term. Like dating. 
> 
> Okay that is the strange head cannon I have made up for this story.


	11. Settling In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some Yuuri and Phichit time and some settling in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your comments and Kudo's they make my day and my week every single time I see one. Thank you so much. 
> 
> Work has been so crazy this week and I realized that I had a major timing issue in the story so I have been trying to fix it. I almost didn't get this out. 
> 
> If there are major plot holes please let me know I tried to catch them all but I'm not 100% sure I did. 
> 
> No trigger warnings that I can think of.

Yuuri lay in his nest breathing in the scent of his mate. 

Victor called him his mate. 

The scent of Victor all around him sank into his muscles and he relaxed into the nest. 

JJ said he smelled like Alpha. But he had been wearing Victor’s shirt. Still Yuuri smiled and buried his head in the pillow. 

“Hey. I thought I might find you here.” Phichit climbed over his feet and into the nest. “Can I lay with you? 

“Of course.” Yuuri scooted over to make room. Then he flopped down with his head in Phichit’s lap. 

“I’m sorry about earlier. I shouldn’t have said what I did.” 

“I don’t want Victor to think I am a bad omega,” Yuuri muttered.

“Yuuri the only people who think you are a bad omega are the Oyabun and you.” 

“Phichit that is very sweet of you. I think that Victor knows I am a bad omega and likes me anyway.” 

Phichit smiles. “I think that you are right that Victor likes you. We will just have to agree to disagree about the bad omega for now.”

“All right, how did you know I was in the closet?” 

“Yuuri, when you were close to your heat at home you made your nest in the closet. Are you in pre-heat?”

“I think so.” Yuuri shifted uncomfortably. “Do you think Victor thinks it’s weird.” 

“I think that Victor find everything you do either endearing or sexy or both.” 

“How can something be endearing and sexy?” Yuuri giggled.

“I don’t know, ask Victor.” Phichit ran his hand through Yuuri’s hair.

“Tell me about Chris.” 

Phichit sighed and his hand stilled for a moment. “He’s my mate. I can smell it, sometimes when he has a scent. I’m sure he can too. But I don’t want to just be Chris’s mate. I want to be Phichit the sniper.” 

“Do you think that’s all I’ll be? Victor’s mate?” 

“Yuuri, you will never be ‘that’s all’ to anybody. Why do you think the Oyabun hated you so much you frustrated him? He couldn’t crush you.” 

“He didn’t crush you or Kenji either?” 

“Because we had you there showing us how to be strong.” 

Yuuri snorted on a laugh and sat up and looked up at Phichit. “Me, the person who is afraid of the dark at age twenty-three and has panic attacks over making difficult decisions.”

“You, the person who has trouble making difficult decisions but went into tactical planning and plans awesome missions.” 

Yuuri smiled. “Mari told me once my mission reminded her of a Rube Goldberg machine. I told her I was impressed she knew what that was. But even with all the moving part she still said she liked my plans the best.” 

“Because you always have the best plans.” 

Yuuri giggled again and put his head on Phichit’s shoulder. “I’m serious Yuuri. You promised us we wouldn’t end up bond slaves. You promised us that we would end up safe with the Russian Bratva even though none of us even knew anyone in the Bratva and you made it happen.” 

Yuuri yawned. “I think I am in love with him.”

Phichit laughed, it was a bright happy sound. “I think you are too. You should take a nap Yuuri. I’ll make sure you are up in time for dinner tonight.” 

Yuuri closed his eyes for a minute. The next thing he knew Phichit was shaking his shoulder. 

“Open your eyes Yuuri, it’s time to wake up.” 

The raid on the kitchen was going well, they located the bread, grape and strawberry jelly in the fridge, but they could not locate peanut butter. Yuuri felt strange about searching through the cabinets but Phichit had no such problems. 

“This is our new home we should know where things are, Yuuri.”

“He has a point,” Bella smiled at him across the big island where they ate lunch.

“Oh, look, Yuuri, tea.” The drawer Phichit pulled out held an impressive collection of teas. 

Yuuri stood and inspected the collection of black teas, green teas, and herbal teas. Yuuri chose a chamomile tea with lavender. He pulled the tea pot onto the stove and a mug from the cabinet he had spotted them in earlier. But they still hadn’t found the peanut butter. 

“It’s in the highest cabinet, above the fridge. We have a small child in the house who is allergic, so we keep it out of reach.” Victor explained as he entered the room. 

Phichit grinned and dragged a chair over to the fridge before anyone could stop him. He climbed up onto the chair and dragged three different jars out of the cabinet. 

“Yuuri, we have crunchy!” Phichit squealed as he tried to back down. He was barely saved from falling by Chris catching him and lowering him to the ground.

Yuuri was not sure if he had ever seen Phichit blush before. 

“Why are there three. There is the abomination. The good kind. And…”

“It’s all-natural sugar-free.” Phichit was scowling at the offensive jar. 

“You know you all could eat the meat loaf Lilia left warming in the oven, right? You don’t have to make yourself PB&J sandwiches.” Yura asked walking into the kitchen. Natalia was at his side.

“Who is this?” Victor asked.

“This is Natalia. You told her brother she could move in. You are so forgetful old man.” Yura shook his head. 

“Kenji wanted PB&J. Pregnant omega’s get what they want for dinner. Otabek is going to make them.” Phichit said. Putting the jars on the counter. 

“Speaking of Kenji, I think you should join classes with Yura and Natalia after we are done with the mock auctions.” 

Kenji’s face lit up with a huge smile. “I would love to.” 

Yuuri felt warmth blossom in his chest for Victor. He was sending Kenji and Natalia to school. He was a kind and good alpha. 

“Are you okay Yuuri?” Phichit asked. 

Yuuri snapped around and looked at Phichit. He realized he had been staring at Victor. The alpha was busy talking to Mila, Chris, and JJ did not seem to notice. The water in the tea pot whistled. Yuuri jerked his head around. “I’m fine, I just need some tea.” 

“What do you want to eat? Otabek will make you a plate.” 

Yuuri walked to a spot next to Bella at the island, he heard JJ talking to her on the other side. “Things went well today. I enjoyed working with Nikiforov.” 

“I am so glad, Yuuri, Phichit, and I have become good friends.” 

“Then I will consider them my good friend too.” 

A fear Yuuri had been holding in his chest loosened. He had worried he wouldn’t be able to deliver on his promise to Victor of a deal with the Leroy’s. But it seemed like things were going to pan out. 

A plate appeared before him with two pieces of meat loaf, potatoes, gravy, and a PB&J sandwich. He felt his face flame. Phichit only had a sandwich. Yura only had meatloaf. In fact, the only person at the table who had as much food as him was Kenji. The pregnant person. 

Yura was sitting on his other side. “Why aren’t you eating pig. You take all the food and then you don’t eat. Rude.”

Yura snatched half the sandwich from his plate. Yuuri felt a surge of relief and gratitude to Yura. That was better. 

“Aren’t you hungry, Yuuri?” Victor asked.

***

Victor carefully cut his food as he talked to Mila and Chris but he couldn’t bring himself to take a bite. His gaze kept wandering to Yuuri and his untouched plate. He had lost weight just in the past week. He should be eating and regaining what he lost. His body needed energy to heal. 

Everyone was sitting around eating but Yuuri hadn’t taken a single bite. Victor found himself unable to start as Yuuri stared down at his plate. The protective alpha in him wanted to go over to his mate and feed him it had worked earlier. 

He shook his head. If he was like this a few hours after Yuuri agreed to be his mate how would he be after they bonded? 

He watched Yura swipe a part of Yuuri’s sandwich and Yuuri seemed to actually relax a little. He looked almost relieved. “Aren’t you hungry Yuuri?” 

He knew as soon as he said it his tone was wrong. It sounded more like an interrogation with a bit of dominance behind it rather than a genuine question. Yuuri looked at him blankly for a moment. Then to Victor’s surprise he gave him a tiny smile. 

“Yes, sorry, I just didn’t know where to start.” He picked up a piece of his sandwich and took a bite while maintaining eye contact with Victor. 

Something settled in Victor. He looked away from Yuuri and started to eat his own meal. 

“What was that?” Chris asked.

“His alpha was feeling protective,” Mila said with a wide grin.

“Mila do you honestly know anything about that?” Victor asked.

“Sara does not take care of herself when she is sick or injured.” 

“Ahhh, poor Sara.” Victor smirked as he ate his food. 

When they were done their dinner, Victor showed JJ and Isabella to there small suite on the third floor. His own rooms and Yuuri’s were on the fourth floor. He had bunked JJ’s men in the guest rooms on the first floor. The house felt particularly full at the moment and he was not sure if he liked it.

When he got back downstairs, he followed the sound of voices to the community living space that most of the family called the “den” though he had no idea how it ended up with that name. Cheers and groans were coming from the room and he came in to find the big screen TV currently covered with a game of Mario Cart. 

From what he could tell Yuuri, was currently beating Phichit, Kenji, and Yura. Yuuri won to cheers from Ivan and Natalia and boos from Mila, Sara, and Chris. 

“You told us you could beat him, Yura.” Sara teased the younger omega.

“I can, I just need time to learn his strategy.”

Yuuri snickered. “Who dares challenge me next?”

He sounded confident and teasing. He sounded exactly like Victor wanted him to sound all the time. “I will, assuming I still remember how to play.” 

“Oh, uhm, sure. Kenji, you came in last so let Victor play.” 

“It’s been a long time. I’m not sure I remember how to play this game.” Victor winked at Yuuri. 

Yuuri blushed the prettiest shade of pink. 

“Don’t listen to him pig. He used to kick my ass all the time until… my gaming skills increased. The old man just wants to lull you into a false sense of security.”

“Yura, you wound me with your wild accusations. Would I do that?” Victor noticed that he didn’t mention that his skills had improved when he started playing with Otabek on a regular basis instead of just the occasional game with Victor. 

“You do it all the time in negotiations,” Chris teased.

“That’s with business, this is a video game.”

“One I am going to win. Stop talking and play.” Yuuri leveled him with a glare.

Victor grinned and made a mental note to get all the latest gaming systems in his room. Then let Yuuri go online and buy whatever games he wanted. Which reminded him that Yuuri needed a credit card. He would call his bank in the morning to see about getting a card issued for his mate. 

Yuuri won the game. Yura was right behind him. But Victor managed to snag third even though he was distracted with thoughts of all the things he wanted to buy Yuuri. Phichit lost which meant he was out of the game. 

“My turn.” Mila hopped over the back of the sofa shoving Victor into Yuuri’s space. 

The younger man immediately got flustered. He blushed and apologized every time his arm so much as brushed against Victor. He dropped from first to last place and gave his controller over to Natalia. He didn’t even stay in the room to watch Victor play but wandered out towards the kitchen where Victor had seen Phichit go moments before. 

Victor threw the next game. He reached the kitchen as Phichit finished giving Otabek directions about something. He stood just outside the doorway for a moment.

“If you can’t find it don’t get anything else,” Yuuri said.

“Got it.”

Phichit turned to Yuuri and sighed he hugged his friend. “You should tell him.”

“I don’t know Phichit.” 

Victor took a breath and stepped in. It was not fair to eves drop on his mate. Otabek was wearing a frilly pink apron that Sara had gotten Mila as a gag gift last Christmas. He was making brownies. 

“Tell who what?” Victor looked between Phichit and Yuuri and he did not need to be an expert at reading people to see that Yuuri was uncomfortable. 

“It’s nothing Victor, right Phichit,” Yuuri looked at his friend who nodded almost reluctantly. “I think I am going to go take one of my pain pills and get some sleep.”

“You don’t want to wait up for brownies?” Phichit asked. 

“I’m tired. If they are any good save me one for tomorrow.”

“Okay, I’ll put one aside for you.” 

Victor watched his retreating back for a moment and then turned to Phichit. What isn’t he telling me?” 

“Nothing dangerous. He will tell you soon. I give it twenty-four hours tops.” 

***

Yuuri woke sweating, scared, and alone. His nest was bathed in the light from the single lamp and it smelled like his mate. Victor had brought him lots of cozy blankets and pillows to build up the sides and to lay on. He scented them all. 

Victor.

In his dream Dimitri shot Victor. 

Yuuri climbed slowly out of the nest. He didn’t know what time it was, but he wanted to see Victor. He wanted to know his mate was okay. 

When he left his closet, the moon was high in the sky. The little clock next to his bed read 2:47. Victor should be in bed. 

He could just look in on him. He would not disturb him. Part of his mind screamed that this was a bad idea. But the vestiges of the dream and the elevated hormones Phichit wanted him to tell Victor about won out over common sense. 

He saw a guard in the hall, but they barely glanced at him. He slipped across the hall into Victor’s rooms. He closed the door silently behind him and turned to find himself face to face with Makka who put her paws up on his shoulder and licked his face then gave a single happy bark.

“Makka, shhh,” Yuuri giggled. “You’ll wake up Victor.” 

A shadow moved across the room. Victor stood in the doorway to the bedroom. Arms crossed over his chest. 

His bare chest. 

Thank all the gods and goddesses for Emil’s scent blockers. Of course, he could not smell Victor either. The alpha might be furious right now. But at least he was not humiliating himself. 

“Makka down.” Victor’s voice was deep and gravelly from sleep. Makka jumped down and ran over to her owner. He even sounded sexy. “Is something wrong, Yuuri?”

“Uhm, no. No, why would something be wrong?” He twisted his hands in his old sleep shirt, not looking up. 

“It is almost three am and you are sneaking into my room.” 

He sounded annoyed. He definitely sounded annoyed.

“Oh, uhm, I may have had a nightmare.” His brain to mouth filter was obviously off tonight.

This was it. 

This was the moment that Victor would realize what a defective human being he was. Twenty-three and still having nightmares. He could not bring himself to look up. 

Then Victor’s fingers slid under his chin and Victor’s foot slid between his on the floor. When had he even walked over here. Victor tilted his chin up. “Yuuri, it is normal to have nightmares after a traumatic event. You were shot. That qualifies, even if you were wearing a vest. Do you want to talk about it?” 

“I…I didn’t dream about being shot Victor. I dreamt you were shot. That’s, well…I just.” Yuuri could feel his face turning red. 

“Were you checking on me Yuuri?” Victor’s thumb traced over his lower lip. 

“Yes.” Why did his voice sound so needy? Damned hormones.

“So sweet, my Yuuri. Can I kiss you?”

“Yes,” It slipped out without even a thought. 

Then Victor’s lips were on his. 

Last time they kissed Yuuri thought Mila was his girlfriend and that he was just kissing him as part of an act. And he still loved every second of it. This time he knew the truth.  
When Victor brushed his lips lightly over Yuuri’s he chased the feeling and felt Victor smile against his lips. Then he ran his tongue along Yuuri’s lower lip and Yuuri reached up to slide his hands onto Victor’s chest. 

The feel of bare skin under his hands made him whine softly into the kiss and the instant his lips parted Victor took full advantage. One of his hands was on Yuuri’s hip holding him close the other slid into his hair tilting his head just a bit to deepen the kiss. 

Yuuri slid his hands up Victor’s smooth skin over hard muscles. He reached his shoulders and for a second he just held on sinking into the kiss. Then he tentatively licked at Victor’s mouth and Victor drew him in. Victor tasted better than he smelled and Yuuri hummed with pleasure into the kiss drawing a moan from Victor. 

He lifted his head and pressed his forehead to Yuuri’s. Yuuri ran the scent gland on his wrist over the one on Victor’s neck in a bold move. Even if nether of them were giving off scent they were both still pouring out pheromones. Yuuri mixed them eagerly and it eased something deep inside him.

“Yuuri, sweetheart, unless you want me to take you to bed right now you should stop doing that.” 

“I want you to come sleep in my nest.” 

“Uhm…”'

“You can bring Makka too. Please Victor. Just to sleep. I promise I won’t bother you or try to scent you again.” 

“All right, Yuuri.” 

***

Yuuri’s nest was cozy and soft. Even if it was small. Yuuri threw out the body pillow and draped himself over Victor. Not that Victor had a problem with that. 

Except it took him a long time to convince his body to fall asleep with his gorgeous omega who he’d just been kissing out of his mind cuddled up on his chest. Yuuri had no such problem and fell immediately back to sleep. Makka made herself comfortable at their feet and Victor seemed the only one bothered by lingering feelings of desire.

Eventually he must have fallen asleep because he woke up to Chris and Phichit’s voices. 

“We have to tell Yuuri.”

“Tell him what exactly?” Chris asked. 

But Phichit flung the closet door opened the rest of the way and stopped to stare for a second. “Never mind.” Phichit turned on his heel and left the room. 

“What’s going on Chris?”

“Well, someone was in your room last night. It appeared that you had been taken by force, or possibly killed but the lack of body suggested otherwise.” 

“Why the hell would it appear that way?”

“The twenty-two bullet holes in your mattress and headboard.” Phichit re-appeared “We didn’t know if you were dead or had been kidnapped. Apparently neither.” 

Victor moved to extract himself from Yuuri who had not opened his eyes yet. 

“It had to happen after three.” Yuuri rubbed his eyes shifting to sit up next to Victor. 

“That helps. The room was found by Sara at six-thirty so we know our search time and it is fairly narrow,” Chris said. 

“It wasn’t Petrov,” Yuuri yawned out the words. 

“You know this how?” Chris asked.

“He saw me go into Victor’s room and he saw us both go back from Victor’s room to my room. Why was he a suspect?”

“He was hit over the head extremely hard. He is having trouble remembering right now. He has a concussion. It seemed convenient. But if he saw you come in here that changes things. Also he weapon was never fired.” 

Victor smiled at Yuuri. “So smart, my Yuuri.” 

“Right now, your Yuuri wants to pee and brush his teeth.” 

Phichit burst out laughing. “Hint taken; we will leave.” 

Victor stood to go and felt a tug on his pants leg. He looked down. 

“You don’t have to go.”

“Oh, solnyshko, I would love to stay. But we have a lot to do today. We have an auction to put on and now we have a traitor to catch. Make sure you use your scent blockers.” 

“Wait, Victor, I need to tell you something.” 

Victor turned trying to be patient. There was a would-be assassin on the loose and the sooner they caught him the sooner Yuuri was safe. Every second counted. Whatever Yuuri saw on his face he changed his mind. 

“Never mind.” 

“We’ll talk later solnyshko.”  
]  
“All right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this is out so late in the evening. I have been swamped at work and was trying to make sure the plot issues where all cleaned up before I posted. I think I have them all sealed up.


	12. Mock Auction Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Mock auction starts, more talking for Yuuri and Victor, Phichit gets a job.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everyone,  
> Thank you all for the lovely comments and all the Kudos. I never believed when I started posting this that I would have so many readers and such amazing support. You are all wonderful and I appreciate each and every one of you who is reading this story and sharing your comments and kudos. You truly feed my writers soul and make me want to keep writing. Thank you each and every one of you. 
> 
> As always this is unbetaed any mistakes are mine and mine alone. If you see anything glaring please feel free to point it out so I can fix it. 
> 
> There is discussion of human trafficking and slavery in this chapter. Please be aware of that if this is a trigger for you.

Yuuri found his way to the medical wing after he got dressed. Emil seemed thrilled to see him. 

“How are you feeling? How are your bruises healing? Are you having any trouble breathing?”

“I feel less sore today than I did yesterday. I’m not having any trouble breathing.”

“Good, good, are you using the ointment?” 

“Yes, on everything I can reach.” 

“Here, sit down.” Emil led him to a bed and helped him take of his shirt then took off his bandages so he could check his wounds himself. He looked at the wounds on his back. He rubbed some bruise cream on a few places on his back and then put something different on the areas that had been opened wounds. Finally, he rewrapped Yuuri’s chest with new bandages and helped him put his grey sweatshirt back on.

“So, why did you really come here?”

“How strong are your scent blockers? Victor gave me a few and I used one yesterday.” Yuuri had patches on all his scent glands at the moment and a little square of paper in his pocket ready to dissolve under his tongue. “I know they don’t block all the pheromones you put off and Mila warned me that they don’t block the scent of slick. Which I guess makes sense. But what about really strong scents?” 

“I’m not sure I understand?” 

Yuuri sighed. “Heat, could they block the scent of an omega in heat?”

“Oh.” Emil looked at him surprised and then concerned. “Yuuri we can give you heat blockers you only have to have your heat once a year.” 

“It’s too late for that. I am already in pre-heat. We can talk about controlling my heats after this one. I just need to get through this one.” 

Emil nodded. “All right, yes they will block the scent of your heat. But not the scent of your slick. I’m still working on the pheromone problem. Pheromones especially strong ones get though. The more pheromones you are putting off the more they are going to affect the people around you. During a heat you put off a lot of pheromones and it will have a particularly strong effect on Victor. People will definitely notice you are in heat even if they can’t smell you.” 

“Okay, but can I get through my pre-heat and cover the scent.” 

“Yes, that shouldn’t be a problem. But who are you hiding it from?”

“Everyone. Except you and Phichit.” 

“Why would you hide it from Victor? He’s your mate.”

“He’s the Pakhan first. I don’t want to burden him.” 

“I don’t think he would see it that way.”

“Omega’s here have one heat a year. They plan for it and take time off. I just got here. I have not even learned or earned my place, and I am about to go into heat. How incredibly inconvenient is that?”

“Yuuri –“

“I’ll take care of it. The same way I have for the past three years. Can I have more scent blockers?”

“Of course.” Emil walked away. He returned a few moments later with a small square box. “This is my latest batch. There are 24 in here. Bring it back when it is empty. Anyone in here can refill it for you.”

“Thank you.” Now Yuuri just needed to not act like the needy omega slut the Oyabun accused him of being. 

He could do this. He put one of the little pieces of paper under his tongue and went to meet the others. 

***

They were all dressed exactly the same. Plain grey sweatpants and a plain grey sweatshirt. They all filed into the green parlor with their heads down and their hands clasped in front of them. He notices that all of them had patches on their scent glands. Even Yuuri. Of course, he needed to complete the illusion that the patches were covering his scent. 

They all looked so broken. 

The green parlor was chosen because of its dark tiled floor. They had moved everything out of the room except a single desk and six chairs. Two soft cushioned desk chairs behind the desk and four plain wooden chairs in a line on the left-hand side of the desk. 

There had been a bit of a disagreement about who would sit where. Finally, it was agreed that for today with Isabella and Kenji’s buyers Isabella would sit closet to the desk and JJ would sit next to her. Then tomorrow when Phichit and Yuuri’s buyers came Yuuri would sit closest to the desk next to Victor. Although, Victor did not plan to meet these people sitting down. 

Chris, Mila, Sara, and Ivan were all standing around the room armed to the teeth. Not to mention that he knew Phichit had a gun. Otabek was conspicuously absent. Phichit was living up to Yuuri’s promise and keeping the alpha busy. He left early this morning to run errands for the young omega. 

Isabella’s buyer was from South Africa. He was a tall heavy set white man with dark brown hair and a matching dark brown beard. He surveyed the room as he entered. His gaze landed on Victor.

“I was told I would be dealing with a small branch of the Bratva. Not with the Pakhan directly.” 

“Plans changed at the last minute.” Victor stood and walked around the desk. “Tell me your name again. The person I had working on this is no longer with the organization.” 

The man scanned his gaze over Victor then to JJ. “I am not sure I trust you. Everyone says you don’t support human trafficking.” 

JJ rose, he stepped so he was halfway behind Isabella’s chair and trailed a single finger up her arm. Then lifted it to stroke down her cheek. “If you planned to sell something as exquisite as this would you be announcing your business to the world at large? Or would you keep the government at bay by officially supporting anti-trafficking movements.” 

JJ moved to stand next to him. “I believe you were asked your name?” 

“Who the hell are you?”

“This is an associate of mine. He is also interested in the merchandise.” Victor shrugged. “I am trying to decide who to sell to.” 

“That’s bullshit, I already paid the Yakuza.” 

“Paying before the final sale?” Victor arched an eyebrow. “Before you had a chance to inspect the goods? That seems foolish Mr…?” 

“The Yakuza sent pictures and I was promised that the Bratva would do the final delivery. Now you are trying to back out of that deal?” 

“I told you. The man who originally made these deals is no longer with my organization and I can make more money selling to my associate here. Why should I sell Ms. Yang to you?” 

The man glanced around the room. He looked like a cat surrounded by angry dogs. Then he took a deep breath and gave his head a sharp shake. He forced a smile and looked up at Victor. “This was only a test run. The Yakuza has promised me they can provide omegas of this quality every month. The price they are offering for an untrained omega is reasonable. I buy them, train them to be pleasure slaves and then auction them off again at a higher price. He might be willing to offer you more for this particular slave but I am willing to give you a long term buyer and a place to move your product.”

“I see.” Victor glanced from JJ to the South African man. “How large is your organization? Do you have many employees? Other slaves you are working with?”

“I am my organization. I give each slave individual training until they are ready to be auctioned off. I am in between-“ 

Victor wasn’t sure he even noticed JJ drawing his gun before the man put a billet in his head. When he hit the floor JJ put three more bullets in his back. 

“Sorry, Victor, I hope you got everything you needed out of him?” JJ said. “I couldn’t stand there and listen to him talk about Bella for another minute.” 

“No, it’s fine. I got everything we needed. Killing him cuts of one of the Yakuza’s buyers. One down three to go. We are going to kill there human trafficking industry.” He reached behind him and picked up the phone. “We need a clean up crew in the green parlor.” 

The omegas did not wait they had all turned and filed back out the set of glass doors set in the far wall they entered through. They were still acting subdued and Victor did not like it. “Where did they go?” He asked Chris.

“The youngest stomach was upset. Apparently, he could not eat this morning and blood splatter and morning sickness are not a good combination. Do you think Phichit would like a sniper rifle? I was thinking of buying him one?”

“Yes. But where did the go?” 

“To the den I think.” 

JJ and Victor both headed to the den with Chris following behind scrolling through his phone. “Oh, Victor, will you help me get this one into the country.” He held his phone out with a picture of an American made sniper rifle on the screen.

“Yes, I think I can arrange that.” Chris courting a sniper was adorable. 

He heard Yuuri giggling as they approached the den. He half expected to see him playing a video game. Instead Otabek was standing in the doorway. He handed something over to Phichit and then something else to Yuuri. The squirming brown object resolved itself into a fluffy dog licking at Yuuri's chin.

“Is that a dog, Yuuri?” He knew immediately he used the wrong tone. Again. Why couldn’t he seem to get this right? 

Phichit grinned. “And look, I have hamsters, three of them.” 

“Don’t let them out,” Yura grumbled. “Potya will eat those foul little things.” 

“Who is Potya?” 

“His cat.” Victor explained. He glanced around. Yuuri had managed to disappear, again. 

***

“Makka, this is our new friend. He is smaller than you but almost the same color. He needs a name. Assuming Victor lets us keep him.” 

Yuuri sat in his pathetic little nest and watched as the two dogs sniffed each other at the foot of the “bed”. Finally, after several minutes of uncertainty Makka licked the smaller dog’s head and the two of them curled up together. 

“So cute.” Yuuri’s mind raced as he tried to think of how he could convince Victor to let him keep the little dog. What could he trade the Pakhan for permission? An image flashed across his mind of him on his knees in front of Victor the way he once had been for Dimitri. He shivered and curled into a protective ball, pulling his knees tight against his body. He did not want to do that.

“Maybe, if I name you Vicchan after Victor he will let me keep you.” He reached out and scratched the little dog’s ears. This didn’t seem like nearly enough of a trade but it was a good starting offer. 

“Yuuri.” Yuuri’s head shot up at his name and he saw Victor leaning against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest. 

He was so unfairly beautiful. Everything from the way his moonlight hair covered one ocean eye when he tipped his head to the lines of his body when he leaned against the wall so casually was gorgeous. The muscles of his body were toned and defined. His cheekbones where high and sharp. His skin was pale and clear. He looked like a perfect sculpture come to life. 

How could he even look at Yuuri? Of course, the answer was he wouldn’t – not for long. 

“I think we need to have a talk?” 

Yuuri’s stomach cramped. He disappointed his alpha. After only one day he managed to do something wrong. He dropped his head and laid his hands in his lap.

“May I come in?” Victor asked. At the same time, he felt a wet nose on his cheek. Vicchan had climbed in his lap and decided to give him kisses. 

“Yes, of course you can come in.” 

Victor came in but sat down just outside of the nest. 

He must be angry if he would not come into the nest. Or maybe he did not like it. It probably was not the most comfortable nest since it was made of sofa cushions. 

He held Vicchan a little tighter and the dog licked under his chin. 

“It has become clear to me that you do not understand your place in this house. Or with me. And that is entirely my fault. I have treated you like I would a Russian omega. But you are not a Russian omega. You require a different kind of care. I am very sorry, Yuuri, can you forgive me.”

This was so far from the conversation Yuuri expected to be having it threw him off balance for a moment. “I’m not mad at you. There is nothing to forgive.” 

“Oh but there is.” Victor reached out and pet the dog in Yuuri’s lap. “Would you like to know how I feel about this dog, Yuuri?”

“Uhm, maybe.” 

Victor chuckled. “I think getting you a dog was a brilliant idea. And I am jealous. I am jealous that Otabek got to pick out your dog and give him to you instead of me. I want to be the one to give you pretty and wonderful gifts.” 

“Oh…ooohhhh.” His mind slowly caught up to what Victor was saying. “Don’t be jealous. I named him Vicchan after you.” 

“My Yuuri is so sweet.” Victor gave him a happy heart shaped smile. “Now, I am going to explain the rules. Are you ready?” 

Yuuri took a deep breath. He braced himself and nodded. 

“You may have whatever you want.”

Yuuri waited and waited but Victor kept scratching Vicchan and did not go on. Finally, he looked up. “What else?”

“Nothing. That’s it. You may have whatever you want. Full stop.” Victor gave him a lopsided smile. “I will admit if you go jewelry shopping with someone else, I might get jealous. But ultimately that is something I have to get over. You can have anything.” 

“What happens when I make you angry? How will I be punished?” Yuuri asked, surprised by his own boldness.

“I’m not going to say that we will never fight. That would be foolish of me. But I will never punish you Yuuri. Not on purpose.” 

“What happens when you get tired of me?” Yuuri asked. Apparently, hormones made him brave, or stupid. 

Victor pinned him into place with a look. His blue eyes blazed. Yuuri always felt seen when Victor looked at him, like Victor was evaluating him down to his soul. “How could I ever get tired of you Yuuri? You are my mate? The other half of my soul. Everything I could ever want. I would do anything for you. I just hope that I am not too much for you. I have been told I can be a bit…overwhelming at times.” 

Yuuri was not sure if he meant it as a challenge but some part of his brain heard it that way. He sat up a little straighter and met Victor’s gaze head on. His omega would not let his mate think he would ever walk away. That he was weak. “I can handle a lot more than you give me credit for.” 

Something possessive sparked in Victor’s eyes and his gaze never left Yuuri’s. “Can I enter your nest Yuuri?” 

“Of course, you can. It would be difficult for you to sleep here if you couldn’t and ridiculous for you to have to ask all the time.” Yuuri slapped a hand across his mouth. He felt his cheeks turning red. Then he covered his face and whispered between his fingers “I didn’t mean that you would want to sleep in my nest again. I only meant…” 

No, that was exactly what he meant. He did not really have a good excuse or any other explanation. He peeked between his fingers and saw Victor slipping off his shoes. Then the alpha was sitting next to him, so their shoulders were touching. 

“This morning, you were trying to tell me something and I didn’t take the time to listen. I was treating you like a Russian omega. If you had been Yura, Emil, or Sara they would tell me to sit my ass down and listen because they had something important to say. Tell me solnyshko, what did you need me to know?” 

Yuuri was not sure if he should be relieved Victor dropped the whole “sleeping in the nest thing” or terrified he had to talk about this. The small dog chose that moment to abandon him and return to being curled up with Makka. He stared down at his empty lap.

“Please don’t get angry with me.” 

“All right.” 

“And please don’t pull me out of the auction because I already talked to Emil about it and he said I should be safe.” 

He felt Victor nod next to him. “Okay, solnyshko. I know this is important to you to see through.” 

“I’m in pre-heat. Emil said his scent blockers are strong enough to cover the scent of heat, but not the pheromones or the slick. But the pre-heat shouldn’t be a problem.” 

***

Victor fought down the growl that was trying to escape his throat. Yuuri did not need him to act like an overprotective jealous alpha at the moment. “Who else knows?”

“Emil and Phichit. Phichit recognized the signs, he has known me for so long and we lived in the same house forever. I always nest in the closet near my heats and I get a little clingy.” 

“Clingy?” Victor wondered how Yuuri did not hear the strangled sound in his voice at the thought of a ‘clingy’ Yuuri. 

“Oh, uhm, don’t worry. I know you are the Pakhan. I promise not to bother you. Only… if you… if you do decide to sleep in the nest the next few nights I might…I might be like I was last night.” 

Victor clearly remembered Yuuri’s body draped across his own. Head tucked under his chin; one leg thrown over his. “Clingy?”

Yuuri blushed and nodded. “But I promise I will not bother you during the days.”

“Yuuri, do you remember the rules?” 

Yuuri looked up at Victor. He looked confused. “Yes.”

“What are the rules?” Victor reached out and caught the younger man’s hand. He did not pull away. 

“I can have whatever I want?” It came out a question. 

“Yes, you can,” Victor murmured against the back of Yuuri’s hand as he lifted it and kissed his knuckles. “If at any point you want to be held all you have to do is ask. I will happily hold you.”

“I would never disturb your meetings.”

“Who said you would be disturbing them. I am sure you could provide valuable insight. Like you did about Petrov this morning.” 

Yuuri gave a derisive laugh. “I think you have too much faith in me.” 

Victor wanted to argue, but right now he also had more important things he needed to find out. “How long do your pre-heats generally last?” 

“Five days.”

“And what day are you on?” 

“Day two.”

Victor did some quick calculating. All the strange alphas would be gone before Yuuri started his heat. JJ planned to leave as soon as they were done with their ‘auction’. He wanted to get Isabella home safe. It would make him feel more settled to have his omega home as well. But that only gave him three days to find and catch the would-be assassin. 

“What do you need for your heat?”

“Uhm,” Yuuri flushed red. “Just a safe quiet space. I am used to taking care of my heats myself.”

Victor looked at him and lifted an eyebrow. “I meant what kind of toys did you need?”

“Oh,” Yuuri looked down at the blankets underneath him. “Uhm, I don’t really know. I…” 

When he trailed off it occurred to Victor that it was possible no one had ever supplied the omega with toys for his heats in the past. How could anyone let an omega suffer like that? He frowned. “Don’t worry, solnyshko we will find some good toys for you later this evening. Right now, I need to go meet with Mila and Chris about what happened this morning. If you need me come and find me.”

“All right.” 

“Promise me Yuuri.” Victor lifted Yuuri’s chin forcing him to look in his eyes. 

“I promise.” 

Moments later in his inner office Chris went over everything they knew. 

“The guard at the gate was killed with a single gunshot wound to the head at about 4:30am. The assailant knew how to disarm our security grid. He got into the house and knocked Petrov out. Petrov does not remember seeing or hearing anything after you and Yuuri went into Yuuri’s room, but Emil says he has a nasty concussion and his memory is spotty at the moment.” Chris rattled off the list of facts. 

“Since the security guard at the gate was killed, we can assume that the assailant came from outside the mansion.” Victor steepled his fingers and leaned on his desk that was currently messy with several piles of papers. “We know Mikhail escaped and we know he had help. I want to know who in this house supports him and who helped him get away.” 

“I have a list of who backed him at the last three meetings.” Mila slid her finger over her device. “I just sent it to you. That does not mean they betrayed you. Some of them might just have thought his ideas were better but it gives us a place to start looking.” 

“Correlate that list down to everyone who agreed with him at all three meeting. Then let’s look at that. In the meantime, I need to talk to Phichit. Can you have him called in here.” 

Phichit arrived a few minutes later and Victor kicked Chris and Mila out. “Phichit I want to offer you a job.”

“Who do you need killed?”

“Most likely several people over the course of your career but this is a long-term job. I want to hire you as Yuuri’s bodyguard. He trusts you and he will let you stay close to him in ways he would never let other people stay close. Plus, you are an excellent shot, and you care about him and would never let him get hurt. It works out nicely.” 

“Is this your way of keeping me safe because of Chris?” 

“What makes you think being the bodyguard to the Pakhan’s mate is a safe job?”

“Because Yuuri will see himself as much my bodyguard as I am his.” 

“I realize that the two of you have more of a brotherly relationship and he is just as likely to protect you as you are to protect him. But I think that you will take your job seriously and protect him if push comes to shove. I have no doubt that you have his best interest at heart.” 

Phichit nodded. “All right. I can do that.” 

“Excellent consider yourself hired immediately. See Emil and ask him about scent blockers. He can get you up to speed with our scent blockers. We never leave the mansion without them. Also, this will be your pay. I will get you set up with a bank account immediately.” He slid a piece of paper across the desk. 

“Is this my yearly salary?” Phichit asked.

“No, that is your monthly salary. I will have a bank card for you by the end of the week.” Victor smiled to himself as Phichit’s eyes got big and round. “I have another question for you.”

“For this salary I think you can ask just about anything.” 

“Why doesn’t Yuuri seem to want to buy anything to help him with his heat?” 

Phichit sighed. “We were not allowed to have cell phones, or regular computer access, or anything really that would connect us to the outside world. Hasetsu was carefully controlled by the Yakuza. If it happened there the Oyabun knew about it.” 

“How did Kenji search the internet?”

“His family wasn’t Yakuza. And he was training to be a hacker before he presented. He only presented a few months before all this started. They never thought to take his computer away from him. Sometimes things got overlooked, even in Hasetsu.” 

“I still don’t understand why that equates to Yuuri not being able to take care of himself during his heats?” 

“None of us could. The Oyabun felt strongly that toys were not to be used because they were a violation of the body.” Phichit shifted uncomfortably. “We were only supposed to use what the gods and goddesses granted us to take care of what they asked us to do. Until we were mated, and our mates could help us.” 

“He wanted you to be in pain.” 

“He wanted us to be pure. By his standard of the word. He didn’t care if that meant we were in pain.” 

“I am going to destroy that man.” 

Phichit smiled. “I can’t wait to watch that.”


	13. Auction Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kenji's buyer arrives and Victor gives Yuuri a gift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentines day.   
> I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. No trigger warnings. 
> 
> This is not betaed so any and all errors are mine and mine alone if I made any major mistakes please feel free to tell me. 
> 
> Please do not post to another site. 
> 
> Enjoy.

They filed into the green parlor. They were going to be handling Kenji’s buyer differently then they handled Bella’s. Georgi was here today, dressed in an expensive suit and sitting behind the desk, scentless. Victor leaned on the front of the desk when the buyer walked in. This time the buyer was a company. Kenji had been purchased for his computer skills not to be a bond slave, forced into a bonding and sexual intercourse with someone. 

The person sent to collect him was a beautiful young beta woman. She had long blonde hair swept up into a French braid on half her head and hanging in ringlet curls on the other half. She wore a business suit with s skirt that ended just past her knees and looked like it had been tailored to fit her. It was a soft dove grey that complimented her complexion. She was carrying a black briefcase. 

Her gaze skimmed over the four of them. “Uhh, his hair has not been shaved. We were assured that his hair would be shaved before pick-up.”

“There has been a change of plans.” Victor leaned against the front of the desk. “Before you were working with a small division of the Bratva. But those men are no longer with the organization. Now you are working with me. Do you know who I am?”

“You are Victor Nikiforov.” She took a step towards him. Smiling and running her fingers down her neck. “You were voted one of the worlds sexiest alphas in Forbes magazine. You are the head of Feltsman Pharmaceuticals, your business is worth millions. But you really make you money as head of the Russian Bratva.” She stepped closer again and stretched out her hand touching Victor’s arm. Her finger lightly touching his sleave and walking up his arm. “You are the Pakhan.” 

Yuuri watched her flirting with Victor and his hands clenched into fists on his lap. He fought the urge to growl and he was so relieved that no one could smell him right now. But he knew that his pre-heat pheromones would be leaking into the room. Emil said they would affect Victor. 

Yuri tried not to look at the woman touching his mate, but he could not take his eyes off her. Phichit touched his hand for a second. He glanced over at his friend. Phichit gave him a tiny smile. It was full of reassurance without words. They had learned to speak a silent language when they were in Tokyo with the Oyabun, this smile was reassuring. Phichit did not want Yuuri to worry. He must be able to sense his pheromones too. 

Victor gave the woman a charming smile. “So, are you telling me that you own slaves then, Miss?”

“Cassidy, and no, of course I don’t own slaves I would never. I merely represent Jasper Financial Conglomerate. They made a purchase through the Yakuza. Distribution is through the Bratva, or so we were told.” She tilted her head and her long pretty blonde hair fell across her shoulder. 

“Ahhh, I see, you are simply willing to work for a company that buys and sells human beings.” 

“Isn’t the Bratva coordinating the sale.” For the first time her voice held a trace of doubt.

“No. I abhor human trafficking and slavery of any kind.” Victor turned and looked at Yuuri meeting his gaze as he lifted her hand and dropped it unceremoniously. He winked at Yuuri. Yuuri sucked in a breath, remembering suddenly that he was not supposed to be making eye contact. But Yuuri could not stop the smile that crept over his face as he dropped his gaze back into his lap. “And I assure you Ms. Cassidy that Feltsman Pharmaceuticals would never break international laws by purchasing slaves.” 

JJ stood and walked around the desk he passed behind the “slaves”, his fingers trailing over Bella’s shoulders lightly. “Neither would Leroy Imports and Exports.” 

“You see Ms. Cassidy you are in a bit of a bind here,” Victor’s voice was a low purr. And Yuuri hated that he even sounded like he was flirting with her. His nails dug into his palms. “If my company were to hear about another company break that international law, we would be forced to report the. For example, Jasper Financial Conglomerate, I would also use my personal influence to recommend people not use JFC.” 

“As would I and my company,” JJ agreed. “We cannot allow slavery within our legal organizations.”

***

“My lawyer here has been reviewing JFC’s records and it looks like this is their first slave purchase. It will be their last.” Victor forced himself not to shudder at the woman’s touch. He did not want anyone touching him, no one but his omega. 

Still this situation had to be handled exactly the right way or it would not have the correct effect on JFC. 

“Do you really think your little Pharmaceutical company and his little Canadian export company can stand up to JFC?” 

So, she recognized JJ without being told who he was. Interesting, she was up to date on organized crime not just in Russian but around the world. Exactly what was JSF up to these days.

“I see you know my associate.” 

“JJ Leroy, also on the worlds sexiest alpha list. But until quite recently engaged. Although, I heard that fell through.” She turned what Victor thought was meant to be a sultry gaze on JJ. It came across as ingenuine and needy. 

He had a sudden though of Yuuri giving him that same type of look. Gazing at him from under his thick black lashes and he shifted uncomfortably. Now was not a good time to be thinking about Yuuri in bed. It was difficult when he could feel Yuuri’s jealousy from across the room. Angry, possessive, pheromones hit him in the gut, and he was absolutely delighted by it. Except there was nothing he could do to sooth his omega at the moment. 

He forced his mind to focus on the woman in front of him and not the omega across the room. 

“That did not fall through, did it Bella?” JJ asked. 

Isabella stood up from the chair she had been sitting and sashayed over to JJ, she wrapped one arm around his waist laying the other hand over his heart. She leaned up and JJ leaned down. Their lips met. Then she rested her head against his shoulder. Even in grey sweats she managed to look sophisticated and dignified. “I am no one’s slave. And no one is taking my alpha.” She said calmly.

The woman’s face paled a shade, but she stood up a bit straighter. “We have no interest in Isabella Yang. There in no reason for The Leroy Crime Syndicate or Leroy Imports and Exports to be involved. We paid the Yakuza a great deal of money for a hacker.” She changed her tactic and walked over to the three omegas still sitting down. She stopped in front of Yuuri. “Is it this one, I can smell the alpha pheromones on him and I am only a beta. Did you decide you wanted to keep him too?” She was standing in front of Yuuri.

“I am going to tell you the truth and lay things out for you. If I hear about JFC buying or using slave labor after today I will contact international authorities.” Victor nodded to Georgi again.   
“My lawyer has already drawn up the paperwork. I will make sure they are investigated, and I will make sure that there is enough evidence to find them guilty.” Victor put his hands in his pockets and stood from the desk and took a step towards her. 

She turned to face him. “And what of the money we paid to the Yakuza?” 

“You will have to take that up with the Yakuza.” 

She gave him a cutting smile. Changing tactics yet again. “You really think that your little pharmaceutical company or his little imports company have the influence to impact an international conglomerate like JFC?”

“Feltsman Pharmaceuticals makes more than JFC in a year. We are a larger more established multi-national company than you. If you read the article in Forbes you would know that Leroy Imports and Exports is one of the fastest growing companies in the world. Both our companies are in positions to call the morals of JFC into question and if we do no matter if you use slaves or not your reputation is forever destroyed. Especially with the charisma that both JJ and I draw.” 

“And we will not hesitate to turn our considerable influence against them,” Isabella said. “We do not support human trafficking of any kind.” JJ nodded agreeing with her. 

She looked scared for the first time. “What am I supposed to tell JFC?” She was still standing close to Yuuri and she took a step closer. Victor felt the urge to growl. 

“I have given you the message for your company. They are not now- or ever to use slave labor. It is a violation of international law and I will be watching them. Now step away from my omega.” Victor couldn’t quite control the snarl in his voice. 

She stepped away quickly. “We… we will be pursuing getting out money back from the Yakuza.” 

“We highly encourage that,” JJ spoke, 

Victor was too busy glaring at the woman. She was still too close to Yuuri. He was not used to feeling this out of control of his alpha tendencies, but he wanted to walk across the room and snatch her away from Yuuri. Or for Yuuri to walk over into his arms like Isabella had with JJ. He was feeling very territorial. “It’s time for you to leave.” 

Ivan stepped forward to escort her out of the room. She paused at the doorway and Victor thought she was very much pushing her luck. “Why all this?” She waved her arm at the fake auction and “Why go to all this trouble why not just tell me I can’t take the omega with me?”

“This, this is no trouble. And it is to remind you that not only can you not have this slave – you can not have any slave. And I will be watching.”

Kenji stood up suddenly, a huge grin on his face. “Just to be clear, I was your purchase.” 

Her eyes widened when Phichit stood as well and pulled his gun. 

The woman’s eyes widened. “You …you arm your omegas?”

“I armed that omega. Now leave. Before I decide that this message could have been delivered just as well with you dead as it could be with you alive.” 

The woman rushed through the door. Ivan right behind her. Victor walked to the door, needing to make sure she was gone. Away from his omega. He growled at the door. 

When he turned around everyone was milling around and Yuuri rose from his chair. His gaze was on the floor, but he walked across the room straight to where Victor stood by the door.

***

Yuuri shuffled across the room. He chewed on the inside of his cheek. He heard Victor growl when he demanded the woman step away from his omega. Something warm blossomed in his chest hearing the possessive way Victor called him his omega. 

He stopped in front of Victor. “Uhm, hi Victor.” He lifted his gaze to look at Victor. 

Victor smiled at him. “Hi, Yuuri.” 

“Can I, uhm, can I sit next to you at dinner?” Yuuri asked softly. 

“I would like that very much.” Victor reached out and pushed some hair behind his ear. 

Yuuri continued to stand there, he dropped his gaze. He did not know how to say the things he wanted to say. 

“Was there something else Yuuri?” Victor asked.

“Uhm, I was going to lay down in my nest for a few minutes before dinner. I thought, I mean, I just wanted to say if you wanted to…”

“Yuuri do you want me to come with you?” 

“Yes, please,” Yuuri asked quietly. 

Victor nodded. “Let me talk to Chris for one minute and we will go upstairs. Come with me.” 

“Okay.” Victor took his hand and pulled him across the room to where Chris was with Mila and Phichit. “I need the three of you to work on the issue of who was in this house between three and six-thirty this morning.” 

“Right, we can handle that.” Chris grinned and smiled at Yuuri. “Are you going to show Yuuri his present.” 

Yuuri looked up at Victor confused. “Well, I wasn’t.” Victor shook his head, “But I am now.” 

Yuuri’s stomach twisted into knots. Victor did not sound happy. Did he not want to give Yuuri a gift? Was Chris pushing him into something he was not ready for? “You don’t have to give me anything.” 

Victor looked down at him. “Oh, but Yuuri, I want to. I just don’t want to disrupt your routine. You’ll see. Come on, let’s go upstairs.” 

Yuuri let Victor pull him up the stairs. He paused in the hallway and turned to look at Yuuri. “You don’t have to accept this right now. But Yuuri, if and when you are ready you can have this.” He led Yuuri into his suite and through the main room. Yuuri noticed that there was a new blanket on the back of his sofa and Makka and Vicchan were sleeping in the dog bed in the corner.   
Yuuri followed him into the bedroom. There was a brand-new bed, still huge, covered with soft looking sheets and a thick fluffy comforter. Pillows were piled up by the headboard which was slatted wood each piece beautiful carved dark word reflected on the foot board. It would be perfect to weave sheets through to build a nest. Yuuri felt his face flush. 

But Victor pulled him past the bed. The left-hand wall of the room were two doors, on the right was one. He drew Yuuri to the left. He opened the second door. It was a huge empty closet. In the back of the closet was a nesting bed. It had a high back wall and curved sides that slowly sloped down to an opening in the front of the bed. He could see the thick soft looking mattress. There were little fairy lights strung around the edge of bed giving it a soft glow. 

“Surprise,” Victor said. “For when you are ready. I know you probably don’t want to move your nest this close to your heat, but maybe before your next heat you can nest in here. Since you like to nest in closets for your heat.” 

“I want my nest here. Near you.” Yuuri was surprised by the demand in his own voice. “I want to move my nest.” 

Victor looked down at him, concern in his face. “Are you sure, you don’t have to Yuuri.”

“I want to. It looks much more comfortable than the cushions on the floor. Thank you, Victor. It is beautiful. Will you help me move my nest?” 

Victor got the most adorable blush across his nose and cheeks. It was an intimate thing to help an omega build their nest. Yuuri was making a big ask. “Yuuri, I would love to do that.” 

For the next half hour, they moved all the things from Yuuri’s old nest over to the closet. Then Yuuri went through piece by piece and decided what to put into his new nest and what not to. Victor sat with him patiently and smiled whenever Yuuri asked him to scent a something for the nest. Victor did not point out to him that he did not have a scent right now and Yuuri only blushed a little. He wanted Victor’s pheromones on his nest as much as he wanted his smell. 

Finally content he crawled in and motioned to Victor. Victor smiled and followed Yuuri into the nest. Victor laid down and let Yuuri snuggle up to his side. Yuuri laid his head over Victor’s heart so he could hear it beating. “Do you like the nest?”

“I think it is beautiful, Yuuri.” Victor’s hand was making little patterns on his back. 

Yuuri sighed and his entire body relaxed against Victor’s. He felt at home and safe. His alpha wanted him close during his heat. 

***

Victor held Yuuri and rubbed little circles into his back. He felt the omega go boneless against him. “Are you feeling better now, my Yuuri?”

“I like laying with you.” 

“Yuuurrriii, I am so proud of you.”

“Why?” 

“Because you told me what you wanted. Twice. First you asked me to lay with you and then you told me you wanted to move your nest.”

“I…” Yuuri stiffened in his arms for a second. “I guess I did.”

“After dinner will you help me look at the information we have about the shooter and see what we can figure out?” Victor asked.

“I… I guess I can do that.”

“Wonderful. I am so excited to work with you Yuuri. I want you to know I hired Phichit to be your bodyguard. Being the Pakhan’s mate is going to make you a target and just like I have Sara you are going to need a personal bodyguard. I figured Phichit would work well since you already knew him so well.” 

“That makes a lot of sense.” Yuuri sounded hesitant.

“What’s wrong Yuuri?”

“What job can I do?” 

“You can help me with my work whenever you want. We will talk more after your heat.” Victor said squeezing him a little. Victor glanced at his watch. “Dinner is usually ready by now.”

“Who cooks?” 

“Lilia most nights. Elaina, the wife of one of the guards on others, it varies. You can cook if you want to. We don’t have to eat whatever is made in the kitchen. We can cook something different or we can order in.”

“One night I want to make you katsudon, it is a dish my mother made.”

“What is it?”

“A pork cutlet bowl.” 

“There is a shopping list hanging on the refrigerator write what you need for it on there and next time someone goes shopping they will pick it up.”

“Do you have to sign off on it.” 

Victor snorted. “No, if I had to sign off on all the diapers for families, or snacks Yura puts on there it would take all day. The list and the grocery card both stay on the fridge. When someone goes shopping they take the card and get everything on the list for everyone. They bring it back and send a text to the house list that groceries have been purchased. Then people who requested specific items can come get them. The list and the card go back on the fridge. I audit the account once a month to make sure no one is taking advantage but really there is no other way to buy groceries for a house this big with a population in it that is as diverse as it is.” 

“Wow. That’s amazing.” Yuuri had pushed himself up and was staring down at him while leaning on his chest. The look in his eyes was bright and clear and full of love. 

Victor reached up and pulled him down slowly into a kiss. Just a soft brush of lips. “You are amazing.” 

Yuuri did not pull away or lift his head. He let his face hover so close to Victor they were breathing the same air. “I want to kiss you.”

“You know the rules, Yuuri.” Victor did not move.

Yuuri lowed himself the fraction of an inch that separated them and kissed Victor. Victor let Yuuri lead. Yuuri brushed their lips together, and softly kissed Victor’s bottom lip. He made a small noise of frustration. “What’s wrong, Yuuri?” Victor asked, lips brushing Yuuri’s even as he spoke.

“I don’t know how to do this.” Yuuri left a breath of space between them to speak.

“I think you are doing just fine.”

“I want to…” Yuuri hesitated and turned his head pushing it into the space between Victor’s neck and shoulder to hide.

“Tell me what you want.”

“I want to taste your mouth.” Yuuri mumbled against the skin just above his scent gland. “I want to put my tongue in your mouth. But I don’t know how.” He licked at the skin as if to demonstrate what he was thinking and Victor bit back a moan at having Yuuri’s mouth so close to his scent gland. 

“Kiss me again Yuuri.” 

Yuuri did as he was asked but this time Victor opened his mouth and stroked along Yuuri’s lower lip with his tongue. Yuuri opened his mouth and imitated the gesture. Yuuri was a quick study, he opened his mouth and the kiss turned wet and messy but delightful. Yuuri swung his body so he was completely over Victor, kneeling over him and Victor brushed his hands lightly up and down his sides stopping himself at the curve of his hip. 

Finally, he turned his head, surprised when Yuuri began to kiss his jaw and his neck. “Yuuri,” he groaned his name. “We need to stop.” 

Yuuri stopped immediately. Lifting his head and pulling away from Victor. “I’m sorry.” His voice was a quiet whisper.

“No solnyshko, don’t be sorry. I was just enjoying myself too much. I don’t want to get carried away when I know you aren’t ready.” 

Yuuri nodded and rolled to the side of the bed near the wall. He looked like he was upset but Victor could not figure out why. “Why don’t we go downstairs and get some dinner.” He suggested.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentines day to everyone.


	14. The search begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They begin to look for the assassin and Yuuri struggles with trying to figure out Victor's one rule.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everyone,  
> Thank you so much for reading and for all the wonderful comments and kudos. I love everyone's comments and I deeply appreciate you all reading. 
> 
> You all mean so much to me and I really appreciate all of your kind words and all the readers. 
> 
> Trigger warnings  
> In this chapter there is a brief discussion of child sexual abuse - nothing graphic and I have marked it off if you do not want to read it. 
> 
> As always this is unbetaed so any and all errors are mine. If you see any glaring mistakes please feel free to point them out to me.

Mila slid the paper across the desk and Victor looked at the four names. Fours possibilities out of the ten people he called his closet most trusted associates. Georgi, Mila, and Chris were all ruled out right away. Leaving seven people to investigate. They were in Victor’s inner office. The dogs were curled up in a dog bed on the floor in the corner after Victor took Yuuri outside with him after dinner and showed him the mansions huge park like back yard where the dogs ran, and they played fetch for the better part of an hour. 

Now it was time to work. 

Yelena was taken off the list because she was an outspoken supporter of Victor’s since the day he came to power, being the first omega to make it onto the inner council, appointed just months before Yakov stepped down. She was levelheaded and made good business decisions. She would not decide to pull a coupe to put a man in power who did not support omega rights.

Gavril also did not appear on the list. He was a beta. He was the newest member to make the counsel, young and eager to please. Because he was young and single, he still lived in the mansion. With a few well phrased questions it was easy to determine where his loyalties lay, and they were firmly with Victor. 

Lorenzo’s name was also not on the list. An alpha from Italy. Victor had caused quite a controversy when he appointed the Italian man to the counsel. They were allies with the other two criminal associations but that did not mean that they put their members in the highest positions of power. But Lorenzo was smart, an excellent businessman, as well as an extraordinary strategist. He had been a perfect addition to the counsel. His appointment to the counsel had not only cemented his loyalty but the loyalty of the rest of the Italians in the Russian organization. 

That left the four names on the list. All older, all alphas, all appointed by Yakov. Victor sighed as he looked at the names. Iosif, Lev, Nikolai, and Vasily. 

“You really think that Yura’s grandfather belongs on this list?” He glanced between Mila and Chris skeptically.

“We can’t rule him out. He and Mikael were good friends in their youth and though they have not been close recently Nikolai does not live on the grounds. He could be sheltering Mikael.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” Yuuri shook his head. “His grandson is an omega. If he supports Mikael, Yura stands to lose all the rights that Victor has given him. His schooling, his place in the organization, everything. Why would Nikolai do that to his grandson?”

“Maybe he is an old school alpha?” Mila shrugged. “I don’t know him that well.”

“No, Yura adores his grandfather. The only time he talks about someone without complaining is when he talks about him. If his grandfather saw him as less after his presentation Yura would not talk about him with such warm feelings,” Victor said.

“I’m not sure that is enough to take him off the list.” 

“You should ask Natalia to look at the list.” Yuuri suggested. 

“I thought you said she and Ivan were loyal? Besides the security footage we have shows they dis not leave their suite the night of the attack,” Victor steepled his fingers and leaned forward on his desk.

“Natalia is loyal. She is also an omega. People talk in front of omegas. They forget omegas are human beings and not decorations or bits of furniture. If Mikael was meeting with someone in his house before he was discovered Natalia might know who?” Yuuri sounded bitter. 

Victor nodded to Mila. She rose and went to the door speaking in quiet Russian to the guard there for a moment. When she returned to her seat she smiled. “Natalia will be down in a few moments.” 

Chris pulled an empty chair up in front of Victor’s desk. Victor watched Yuuri closely. The omega did not seem to be under too much stress and Phichit was sitting next to him occasionally speaking to him softly in Thai. Victor suspected this was done to annoy Chris and himself but since whatever he said made Yuuri smile he could not find it in himself to be too annoyed. Chris on the other hand looked like he was about to go crazy. 

Yuuri took pity. “Did you know that Phichit named all his hamsters after Disney princesses?”

“Really?” Mila giggled. “That is amazing. Which ones?”

“Bell, Ariel, and Lilo.” 

“Lilo is not a princess,” Victor argued.

The two omegas looked at him with shocked and affronted faces. “Blasphemer. Never say that in front of Lilo.” Yuuri whispered. “Lilo and Stitch is by far the best Disney movie.”

Mila shook her head. “I’m not sure. He might have a point. Was it really better than Moana? And even if it is the best movie that doesn’t make Lilo a princess.”

Phichit tilted his chin up and looked at Yuuri. “I’m sorry, Yuuri, you came up with a great plan, but I am not sure we can live here among these savages.” 

“It’s all right, Phichit, I promise not to tell your rodent she isn’t a real princess.” Victor flashed Yuuri and smile and wink and the omega giggled. 

A soft tap on the door stopped the conversation from escalating further. The door opened and a very young-looking Natalia already in pajamas entered the room. She was twisting her hands in front of her and her gaze darted nervously around the room. Victor felt a moment of pity for her. No doubt getting called to the Pakhan’s office at any time of day was nerve wracking if you did not know why. But especially when you were about to go to sleep for the night. 

Her gaze landed on Yuuri and her shoulders dropping from their hunched position. 

“Have a seat Natalia. We need your help with something.” Victor indicated the empty chair. 

The girl walked across the office and sat down. 

***

Yuuri could not remember when he had such a wonderful evening. He ate dinner next to Victor, who kept putting little bites of food on his plate. And somehow when it came from Victor it did not bother him. Then Victor took him outside with the dogs and showed him where the dogs could play. They had laughed and played with the dogs until Vicchan’s tiny little legs seemed tired and Yuuri scooped him up and carried him inside. 

Then Victor brought him into his meeting. He thought that when Victor told him he could help him with his work he merely meant to humor him. But Victor included not just himself but Phichit in the meetings. He got the impression Sara was usually there as well but apparently, she was resting because she would be standing guard tonight with an assassin on the loose.  
Victor kept surprising him though. When Yuuri suggested, based on his own experience, talking to Natalia Victor immediately acted on it. And when Yuuri had sensed that Phichit’s teasing was starting to bother Chris instead of yelling or scolding the omega’s Victor had made jokes and broken the tension with humor. 

His alpha was wonderful. 

He wanted to curl up into his and press his nose into his scent gland. Of course, he could not smell him right now. But sometime, in the early hours of the morning he would be able to. Yuuri tore his mind from that train of thought as Natalia entered, she looked terrified and Yuuri gave her a reassuring smile. 

She took her seat and Victor slid a piece of paper across the table to her. “Do any of these names look familiar to you or mean anything to you.”  
____________________________________________________________________________________________________  
Her face went pale and then flushed scarlet and Yuuri understood that look. “Uhm, yes. Uhh, Mr. Lev, he came over a lot, he wanted me to call him Uncle Lev. He… I … he made me feel creepy and like I needed to take a shower.” 

“Did he touch you?” Victor asked there was a cold edge to his voice. Yuuri knew it was directed at this man Lev whoever he was, but he also knew that Natalia could easily misinterpret it as aimed at her. 

Omegas were so often told they were responsible for their own abuse.

“He uhm, he used to make me sit in his lap. Even before I presented. He would touch my legs, and uhm,” she glanced over at Yuuri. “he touched under my skirt.” 

“Before you even presented. Gods and goddesses what kind of sick bastard treats a child like that?” Mila spit out the words. “I am so sorry sweetie. I’ll make sure my mate kills him for you.”

“Unless mine does first,” Chris challenged. 

Natalia looked up from Victor to Yuuri her eyes wide and confused. 

“I won’t allow pedophiles on my counsel.” Victor said simply. “I need you to think very hard though and I know this is difficult and painful. I am sorry for that. But did you ever hear what Lev and your father talked about?  
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________  
“As I got older, I started hiding when I knew he was there so I could avoid him. I did not like him and didn’t want to spend time with him.” Her face flushed scarlet. “But I know he often came over after counsel meetings and that he and my dad would talk about how they disagreed with the council decisions. I could hear them from upstairs after they got really drunk. They talked about everything they would do differently and how they would restore the Bratva to it’s former glory.” 

“Thank you, Natalia, you have been incredibly helpful. I want you to know that you are under my protection. If anyone ever touches you in a way you are uncomfortable with you are to tell me immediately. I’ll have their hands chopped off,” Victor told the young woman. 

“Thank you Pakhan.” 

“Call me Victor. Everyone else does.” Victor smiled at the young girl. 

She glanced at Yuuri as if looking for permission and he smiled at her. She smiled back. Then looked back at Victor. “Thank you, Victor.” 

She left and everything became a flurry or activity and sound. Victor gave quick abrupt orders. 

“I want Lev’s house under 24 hours surveillance. I want a record of every property he owns and all of them under surveillance. I want to hack into all the security networks.”

Yuuri interrupted. “Let Kenji help with that. He will be faster than anyone you have.”

Victor looked at him for a minute as if he were going to say something then nodded and turned to Mila. “Get Kenjiro Minami on the hacking issue tonight if possible. I want all his accounts hacked and traced to I want a complete digital foot print.” He turned his piercing blue gaze on Yuuri and asked in a cool voice, “Anything else you want to share?” 

“Kenji can tap all his cell phones too.” Yuuri said without a great deal of conviction. “As long as he isn’t using burners.” 

Victor nodded, then went back to his directions. “I want to know who Lev has contact with in this house who might feel honor bound to help him and why? Does he have a child, a cousin, a niece or nephew. Get me all this information and I want all this information by the time I get to this office tomorrow morning. For now, I am going to bed.” 

Yuuri watched him rise and walk towards the door. He said a few words to Makka who jumped up and followed him. Vicchan got up and followed Makka. Yuuri sat still in his chair and was not sure what to do. His nest was in Victor’s closet. Should he follow Victor? Did Victor plan to sleep in the nest with him tonight? Did Victor expect him to stay and help with the work? He was the one who had suggested Kenji, maybe he expected Yuuri to work with him. 

He bit the inside of his cheek and looked down at his lap. If he did not go to bed now, he would wake Victor up later when he went to sleep in the nest. Maybe this was Victor’s way of telling him he did not want him to sleep in his room tonight? Yuuri had interrupted him, maybe that made him mad? He twisted his hands. Maybe he should stay and work with Kenji for a little while and then go sleep in his own room. The sofa cushions and all the things he had not taken to the new nest were still in the closet. He could sleep there. 

Yuuri glared down at his hands and tried not to cry. Why was this situation so confusing? Victor said there was only one rule, but he felt like there was more that he did not understand.

“Yuuri?” Yuuri looked up, Victor stood by the door looking at him. “Did you want to come to bed now too? I know you still have a lot of bruising and rest is important to healing.” 

“You…uhm you don’t want me to stay and help Kenji?” 

“I’m sure Chris and Mila can give him whatever support he needs. Unless you prefer to help him.” 

“No. That’s okay. I am pretty tired it has been a busy day and tomorrow is another long day.” Yuuri yawned just thinking about it. Victor smiled at him and held out his hand. Yuuri stood up and took his hand. He let himself be led out of the room. 

***

Victor tried to figure out what god he angered as he lay in his bed and listened to the shower running in his bathroom. Yuuri looked adorable when he came out earlier with his sleep clothes and asked sweetly if he could take a shower before bed. Then he asked for help with his bandages and Victor had seen the full extent of the bruising on his back and chest. 

Mikael was going to pay. 

The Oyabun was going to pay. 

He received confirmation early this evening that his message had been delivered to Yu-topia Katsuki. The Oyabun would receive his message. He had Georgi searching every contract for loopholes they could exploit to charge the Yakuza as much money as possible while giving them as little goods as possible. Not only that the Leroy’s had sent word to all their allies in the US and Canada that they were responsible for abducting his mate. The Oyabun was being blacklisted by many suppliers of guns and ammunition. It would make it difficult for the Oyabun to hold his position. 

But that was not why Victor felt certain he had angered the god, all that was in his favor. Yuuri had asked him very sweetly if when he got out of the shower if he would help him put Emil’s magic bruise cream on his back before they went to bed. 

Yuuri asked him to touch him. In his room. On his bed. In a completely platonic way. 

Of course, Victor said yes, he would do anything Yuuri asked him to do. The omega just did not understand that yet. But now laying ln his bed listening to the shower all he could think about were droplets of water running down Yuuri’s naked body and how much he would like to see that. How much he would like to trace the path of the water with his hand, or with his tongue. This was not helping his problem. He needed to think platonic thoughts. Not thoughts of naked Yuuri in his bed.

He heard the water shut off and forced himself to take several deep breaths as he sat up from where he had thrown himself on the bed. A few minutes later Yuuri walked out of the bathroom in his sleep pants, holding his shirt and a jar of the bruise cream his hair was still damp. His chest was covered with bruises and Victor knew his had a cracked rib. But he was still to gorgeous for words. 

“Did you take your pain medicine, Yuuri?” Victor asked. 

“I did, right after I brushed my teeth.” His glasses sat crooked on his face, and there was a teasing note in his voice.

“I was going to get someone to come out to see about your glasses. But I think we will have to wait until after your heat.” 

“They aren’t that bad, just a little bent. I can live with them.” 

Victor rolled his eyes at Yuuri. “We will get you a new pair after your heat. I do not thing we can order you any toys for your heat online to get here fast enough. Instead, I will take you shopping at a store near here after we are done tomorrow.” 

“Victor, I have never… I don’t really need anything like that.” Yuuri looked down and the floor and twisted the lid of the jar on and off. “You don’t have to do that for me.” 

Victor realized that Yuuri had not moved from the doorway of the bathroom. He was still standing there staring into the bedroom twisting the lid on and off eyes wide and refusing to meet Victor’s gaze. “Yuuri,” Victor spoke in a gentle coaxing voice. “Come over here and let me help you with your bruises.” 

Yuuri bit his lower lip, but he walked into the room and over to Victor. He handed him the jar. “I already put it on the ones on my chest. I cannot do my back though. Emil said not to use it on the opened wounds.” 

“Of course.” Victor opened the jar and pulled Yuuri so he was standing between his legs were he sat on the edge of the bed. He slowly smeared the ointment from his shoulder down to his hip. Then he retraced his path rubbing it in with small gentle circles. Yuuri shivered. “Are you cold, solnyshko?”

“Uhm, no, I uhm, no. It just feels better when you put it on then when Emil does.” 

Victor smiled to himself as he started on another section on Yuuri’s back. But when he spoke it was with honesty that made his heart hurt. “No one should have to put this on your back ever again. No one here will ever beat you Yuuri. If anyone tries tell me and I will personally kill them.” 

Yuuri shivered again at the words. “Victor, will you sleep with me in the nest tonight?” 

“If that is what you want, solnyshko.”

Yuuri nodded but was quiet while Victor finished his task. Then he slipped on his shirt and stepped away from Victor and turned so he was facing him. “Uhm, the rules. You said the rules were I could have anything I want.” 

“Yes, I did.” 

Yuuri’s face flushed red. “I don’t want to go shopping for things for my heat.” 

Victor shifted on the bed, he frowned. “Yuuri I don’t want you to be uncomfortable during your heat.” 

***

Yuuri bit his lip. He was not sure how to ask for what he wanted. He was not sure if he even should ask. But he thought about it the entire time he was in the shower. Instead, he changed the subject.

“Were you mad at me when I suggested Kenji to be the hacker to help with your problem?” 

“Why would I have been mad?”

“I interrupted you. And you gave me a funny look. Like you were going to argue then changed your mind.” 

“Kenji is young, and he already has a lot on his plate being pregnant and getting ready to start school. I do not generally support child labor. He is only fourteen. He should be focused on school not working.” 

“Kenji loves hacking. It is like a video game to him. Every new hack is a new boss battle to overcome. If you don’t give him something to do, he will find something. The Oyabun found out about his abilities because he hacked into his bank account and moved all his money from his offshore accounts into his private accounts in Japan forcing him to pay taxes on them.” 

Victor snorted out a laugh. “But he got caught.” 

“He wanted to get caught. He had been screwing around for years. He wanted to do real work. He deliberately left bread crumbs. It still took the Oyabun four months to find him. He was twelve at the time.” 

“Well shit. I guess we are going to have to keep your cousin busy.” 

“It will be easier once the baby comes. He will not have as much energy to spare if he is doing school and taking care of a newborn. All the more reason to give him the chance to use his skills now.” 

“You have a lot of insight about people Yuuri. And people like and trust you. That is a good skill set to have. It helps them open up to you more and give you the information you need. Sometimes you don’t need to interrogate someone you just need to find out what they know.” 

“Like with Natalia today?” 

“Yes, she definitely felt more comfortable talking because there was another omega she knew in the room.” 

Yuuri nodded and yawned. “Are you ready for bed?”

“Yuuri, we still need to talk about our shopping trip. Do you want me to go alone and bring some things back for you?” 

“I…” Yuuri could not force the words out of his mouth. “Yes, I would be more comfortable with that.” It was not a lie. But it was not the truth either. Victor nodded his acceptance of this. 

At least he could go into his heat knowing that everything he was using had been chosen for him by Victor. He knew what he really wanted was ridiculous. 

He wanted to ask Victor to spend his heat with him. But they had barely known each other a week and Victor was the Pakhan. He did not have time to take four days off to take care of a needy omega during his heat. 

Maybe next year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week we will get to see Phichit and Yuuri's buyers come to visit the mansion. The chapter might be a little longer than usual because I want to be able to give you the entire rest of the "auction".
> 
> Thank you again for reading. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. 
> 
> And yes, Lilo and Stitch really is my favorite Disney movie.


	15. Auction Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final part of the auction. Kenji puts his hacking skills to work. Victor and Yuuri clear some things up between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone,  
> Thank you all so much for reading. I am so thankful to you all for your comments and kudos. You keep me writing every week. I am considering starting a new fiction and all of you are my inspiration. 
> 
> I don't think there are any trigger warnings for this chapter. 
> 
> As always this is unbetaed any and all errors are mine if you see anything glaring please feel free to point it out. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Victor felt a body sprawled across his and a nose brushing his scent gland. His, still groggy from sleep immediately wondered what the hell he was doing in bed with someone. He never slept with his lovers. He certainly never let them close to his scent glands. 

The scent of cherry blossom, vanilla, and cinnamon filled his nose a second before his body tensed. 

Yuuri. 

The omega laid almost completely on top of him. Nose pressed to his neck. While they said the scent blockers lasted twenty-four hours, the truth was that they started to break at about twenty-one to twenty-two especially in the glands on the neck. That was why everyone carried a spare and why everyone’s bed smelled like them. It would probably have been much harder particularly for omegas to sleep in beds that did not smell like them. 

He brought his arm up around Yuuri’s waist. The omega tensed under him. “Sorry… thought you were asleep.” Despite his words Yuuri’s lips brushed against Victor’s scent gland and Yuuri tilted his neck offering Victor the ability to reach his scent glad.

Victor was a weak man. He tucked his nose into Yuuri’s neck and inhaled deeply. “Yuuri.” His fingers slid on the thin strip of skin between where Yuuri’s shirt had pulled up and his soft sleep pants sat on his hips. “Remember the rules.” He let his own lips brush Yuuri’s scent gland and the taste of Yuuri was sweet and addictive. Particularly so close to his heat. He scraped his teeth across the skin gently. 

Yuuri shivered above him but pressed harder against his neck and opened his mouth against Victor’s scent gland. “I do not get what I want. I want Victor.” 

“Solnyshko, you have me.” 

Yuuri sucked lightly at his skin before letting it go and nudging it with his nose again. “No… for my heat,” he mumbled. “No toys.” Then he shifted so he was laying completely on top of Victor, one of his legs between Victor’s thighs, one arm wrapped around his shoulder, he sighed softly and drifted back to sleep. 

Victor’s head fell back into the soft nest. Completely awake and wondering how Yuuri could miss the fact that he had literally climbed on top of his very aroused alpha. His fingers made little patterns in the skin of Yuuri’s hip without waking him. The omega’s breath warmed his neck. 

Yuuri wanted to share his heat. But was the omega healthy enough for that, physically? And did he want to do it because he felt like he owed Victor some debt or because he really wanted to be with Victor? 

As long as Yuuri questioned his place here and questioned his own value it would be difficult for Victor to accept that Yuuri was choosing to be with him of his own free will and not to pay off some imagined debt. Victor was not sure that physically or psychologically it was a good idea to share the omega’s heat. 

On the other hand, he never wanted to make Yuuri feel rejected. If he refused to share Yuuri’s heat, even if Yuuri thought Victor did not know he wanted him, Yuuri would no doubt feel rejected. A rejected omega was a pitiful and sad thing. Their distress would affect every alpha in mansion until they were able to take control of their emotions. It was not even their scent. It was pheromones. Much like heat itself the scent blockers would not help if Yuuri felt rejected. 

When Anya rejected Georgi, it had taken almost six months and Victor moving Anya to an overseas location for the mansion to regain equilibrium. It was still not a good idea to mention the alpha’s name around the omega. Of course, she had been sleeping with him for almost a year, letting him think she was going to bond with him. If she hadn’t been such a great businesswoman Victor might have been tempted to shoot her. But that would not have made Georgi happy either. 

It was over two hours of back and forth thinking later when Victor’s alarm finally went off. He reached out with the hand not holding Yuuri and found his cell phone hitting the snooze button. 

“Yuuri, it’s time to get up.” 

Yuuri burrowed into his neck and inhaled. So cute. “Five more minutes.” 

“Only because you are so cute.” 

“I’m not cute.” 

“You are your hair is lovely all messy in the morning and I think you drooled on my shoulder. It is adorable.” 

Yuuri tensed and suddenly seemed to realize exactly where he was. “Oh, gods, Victor, I did drool on you. I’m sorry. I tried to warn you I get clingy in pre-heat. You should probably sleep in your own bed.” He tried to squirm away. Victor tightened his arm around Yuuri’s waist until Yuuri pushed up on his chest and looked down at him. 

“I like you being clingy Yuuri.” 

“You like it when I drool on you.” 

Victor smiled, “I love it when you drool on me. I hope I am the only person you want to be drooling on from now on.” 

Yuuri blinked at him a few times, then blushed. “I…” he turned away then turned back to look at Victor again. “After that night we met on the beach I liked you. I wanted to meet you again. I used to read articles about you, and I cut pictures of you out of magazines. I had one taped to the bottom of my desk drawer. When I thought I was a beta I daydreamed about impressing you so much with my brilliant strategies you would want me to come to Russia to work for you. Later when I found out I was an omega I daydreamed… different things.” 

“Yuuuuurrri,” Victor reached up and ran a thumb along his cheek. “You knew we were mates that night too.” 

“I was just an infatuated teenager who thought you were the most beautiful human being I had ever seen in my life.” Yuuri leaned into Victor’s touch. “I still think that.”

Before Victor could reply the alarm on his phone blared again. Yuuri used his moment of inattentiveness to slip out of the nest. That was okay. At least Victor had the answer to some of his questions now. If Yuuri had known they were mates as long as he had then he felt better about sharing his heat with him. At least emotionally. He would talk to Emil about the rest. 

He slipped into the medical wing after breakfast.

Emil smiled, “Victor, I didn’t expect to see you here.” 

“Emil, I was hoping you could tell me if it would be safe for Yuuri to have a heat partner.” 

“You mean you.” 

“Obviously.” 

“He shouldn’t get pregnant. He is still malnourished, and he has some cracked ribs that need to heal before he gets pregnant.”

“Gods and goddesses, I didn’t even think about that. Can you give me birth control?”

Emil laughed. “I can do better; I can give you both birth control. I will start you on it now. You need a shot once a week. He will need one once a month. When you decide you do want to try to get pregnant, he can go off the heat suppressants and birth control.” 

“I think we have a while before we need to talk about that. Go ahead and give me the shot. I will send Yuuri down later to make sure he gets a shot too. Otherwise, is it safe for him?”

“Be gentle with him. If it hurts don’t do it. I will give him a complete check up after but sure, it should be fine.” 

***

Yuuri sat in the office with Mila, Chris, a tired looking Sarah sipping coffee while sitting in Mila’s lap, Phichit, and Kenji. Victor came in rolling down the sleeve of his dress shirt. 

“Tell me everything you found about Lev?” 

Kenji jumped in without further invitation. “I have trackers on all his bank accounts now, and his phones. He has three cell phones. Is that typical for people in your organization?”

“No, sometimes two, not three.” 

“He also has four residences. Three are listed with the Bratva one is not. He has kept it off the books everywhere. It is a condo here in St. Petersburg. What people do not seem to understand about condo’s is that the building itself has security. This is from Lev’s place last night.” Kenji hit a few keys on the keyboard and a shot came up of a man walking into the condo with a bag of groceries. He was met at the door by Mikael. 

Victor growled under his breath. “I want our people over their in an hour. I want it fast and quiet and I want Lev and Mikael warehoused. I want to talk to both of them this afternoon when we are finished with the auctions.” 

Sarah was on her feet. “I will have Mickey lead the team. He is great with extractions.” She spoke on her way out the door. 

Yuuri smiled to himself. Bringing Kenji in had been the right choice. 

“Kenji, keep an eye on his bank accounts and phones even after we bring him in. I want to know if he has someone on the outside of the organization helping him. Or if anyone from inside the mansion tries to contact him. Also, you are an absolute genius. You will be finishing school, but I might have a few other tasks for you here and there. How do you feel about that?” Victor asked. Apparently Yuuri was not the only one who thought asking Kenji for help was the best choice. Yuuri smiled. 

“I would love to help whenever I can. I know things are going to get busy once the baby is born…” Kenji trailed off and looked over at Yuuri. Then he glanced back at Victor. “Thank you, sir, for letting me keep my child.” 

Yuuri stood and went to Kenji’s side, it was so hard to remember he was only a baby himself when he did such advanced level work. “Kenji, it’s your body. No one will make decisions for you about it but you.” He squatted down on the floor next to his young cousin. “Don’t worry, Phichit and I will be here to help you take care of your baby.”

“Sweet goddess above, help me. Phichit is going to teach my baby to shoot guns.” 

“Damned straight I am. Your little munchkin will be a crack shot before they are ten.” 

“Phichit, we usually don’t give our children guns till they are six or seven, can you really teach a child to shoot that well in that time frame?” Victor asked and Yuuri couldn’t tell if he was serious. 

“You should not doubt me Nikiforov. I am a god in the gun range.” 

Chris made a pained noise. “I must see this.” 

Yuuri giggled. “My point is there are going to be lots of people who will help you take care of your baby here in the Bratva. You are not alone. Please do not ever think you are. But if you are ever too tired or too overwhelmed to work just say so.” 

“Yuuri is absolutely correct. Your health, your baby, and your school come first. If after all that you are able and willing to do a job or two for the Bratva I am grateful. If not, be aware you have a job when you finish your schooling. I have also already opened an account for you and will deposit payment for this job into it by the end of the week.” Victor explained.

“I’m getting paid?” Kenji’s face lit up. “Does that me I can get some things for the baby?” 

“I told you I would take care of that,” Yuuri muttered. He hadn’t quite figured out how yet, but he would. “Use this money for something for you.” 

“Once again, Yuuri is right. First off, I plan to connect you with Sonja all three of her children are older now so she thought you might be able to use her crib, cradle, changing table and such. She is also going to see about getting you connected to the mother’s group here in the mansion. There is a lot you will not need to buy.” Victor agreed once again. 

Kenji looked close to tears. Yuuri squeezed his hand. “See, didn’t I tell you it would be better here.” 

“Yes, but I wasn’t sure I believed you.” 

Yuuri laughed out loud at his cousin’s honesty. “Well, now you know to always trust me.” 

Kenji wiped his eyes while trying hard not to look like he was wiping his eyes. He looked down at Yuuri and then up at Victor again. “Thank you again for letting us come here and for protecting us from the Yakuza. I know that Yuuri made some kind of deal with you but whatever he gave you for our freedom…well… I hope that you treat him well. He is the best person ever.” 

Yuuri felt his face flush. Wonderful, his cousin thought he had whored himself out to pay for their freedom. Not that he wouldn’t have but he wasn’t. Was he? “It’s not like that, Kenji.” 

“No, Yuuri is my mate. I have known that since the first time I met him over five years ago. I was more than happy to do a favor for my mate. Especially, if it helped his family and friends and brought him to live with me. Besides, I fully agree with you. He is the best person I have ever met.” 

Yuuri literally sat back on the floor in shock as Phichit gave him the most shit eating grin. And Kenji smiled wide. 

Well, that cleared things up. 

***

The omegas filed in and sat down. Yuuri, Phichit, Kenji, then Isabella on the outside. They were all dressed in grey sweats again. Yuuri had patches over his scent glands but Victor could not get the warm scent of cherry blossom and vanilla mixed with the spice of cinnamon out of his head. Or his mouth. 

Looking at him across the room he could practically taste him on his tongue. Feel his smooth skin under his fingers. Hear his voice close to his ear as his lips skimmed his scent gland. 

“You are leaking enough pheromones to convince half the mansion that you are about to go into rut,” Chris muttered from his side.

“I am not.”

“Leaking pheromones or about to go into rut?” 

“About to go into rut.” 

“Hmmmm, then this is just what happens when you start sleeping with your mate?” 

“Chris, he is so sexy,” Victor whined. “And he’s not even trying. What is going to happen to me if he tries?”

Chris snickered. “I’m not sure but I kind of want to find out. I have never seen you like this before.” 

“I was never with my mate before.” 

“Point taken. But I have always enjoyed sex and I only just met my mate.” 

“Ahhh, but I met him six years ago. I have known about him for a long time. I had to take care of certain biological needs, but I didn’t want to betray him by falling in love or even enjoying myself too much.” 

“I still can’t believe your beta turned out to be an omega.” 

“I can’t believe his best friend is your mate.” 

“You’re not leaking anymore. Much more in control. You’re welcome, by the way.” 

Victor smirked at his friend. He could always count on Chris to know exactly how to get him worked up, or in this particular case – cooled off. 

“Do I get to kill Phichit’s buyer?” Chris asked. 

“Unless Phichit beats you too it. We just need to make sure we have all the information we need from him first,” Victor reminded him.

As if on cue Mila opened the door and showed in two men. They were obviously related from their similar looks one was much older than the other. Father and son, Victor would guess. Both were dressed impeccably in dark blue suits. They had matching breads, although the older mans was laced with grey and the younger mans was still entirely dark brown hair. 

The older man spoke. “I did not expect so much fanfare. We were planning a quick pick-up and then to be on our way.” His gaze drifted over to where the omegas were seated. “I see the Oyabun was no lying about the quality of his merchandise. Are you offering more than one for sale today?”

“I want to know about your deal with the Oyabun?” Victor leaned against the desk, his own suit was black today and tailored just for him. He wanted to have some clothing made for Yuuri. He wondered if he would prefer suits or more traditional omega clothing. He had been wearing a dress at the banquet. “The omega you purchased was for you personally, but you were looking for a long-term arrangement. What did you plan to do with the other omegas?”

The older man frowned. “Why is the Bratva interested in this? They are only supposed to be the middlemen?”

“That was set up by a small faction of the Bratva. It was brought to my attention and I feel that we can make more money with this by being more directly involved.” 

The man glanced from the omegas to the younger man. The younger man looked uncomfortable he shifted from foot to foot. Finally, the older alpha spoke again. “This particular omega is a gift for my son. He is ready to start his personal harem. I would have given him one of mine but he found that idea disturbing and I suppose I understand that. I purchased him a young virgin so he can break him in however he wants.”

“I don’t want a harem. I have a wife, I bonded with her and she is pregnant with our first child.” The younger man spoke with conviction and venom in his voice.

His father lifted his hand and the young man fell silent. “I have bonded with everyone in my harem. It is how you keep them from running away. And this is the perfect time to take a lover. Trust me. Your wife will not want to fulfill your needs soon because her body will be busy making your child. You will thank me for this in a month or two.” 

“That is all well and good. It still doesn’t answer the question of long term,” Victor said finding the family drama somewhat surprising. 

“I want to start taking stock to the auction in Dubai. It happens every month and it is one of the largest auctions in the world. But they consistently have a shortage of male omegas. The Oyaban promised me he could provide me with a steady supply of male omegas and look – there are three sitting here. He must have the resources to provide them. I will easily make three times what I spend on them at the auctions. I know because that is where I have gotten my omegas in the past.” 

“Can anyone sell at this auction?” Victor asked. 

“Of course, as long as you have proof that you actually have the omega and that they are not bonded you can take them to the Dubai auction and have them sold. The auction house takes ten percent. There are some groups that bring large lots and others that just bring one or two a month.” 

“Thank you. Your information is most helpful. Chris, Phichit. Leave the son.” 

Phichit drew first and the man had three shots between his eyes before he hit the ground. Victor turned to Phichit. “Impressive.” Then he turned back to the man’s son. “I’m not going to kill you – yet.” 

The younger man was staring at his dead father on the ground and when he looked up his face was pale and drawn. “Thank you, Mr. Nikiforov. I do not hold with my father’s view on human trafficking and I will set his harem free.” 

“Excellent. Make sure you give them each enough money that they can take care of themselves until they find gainful employment. More importantly I want to know every scrap of information you can give me about the Dubai auctions. When they take place, where, who runs them. Everything. Can you get that from your father’s computer records? If you cannot bring me your father’s laptop. I have an excellent hacker.” 

“I can get you his laptop. It is on the plane.”

“Wonderful. One of my people will escort you back to the plane and you will turn over the laptop to them.” Victor shifted and took a step toward the younger man. “Be aware that you are now on my radar and I will be watching you. Make one misstep or wrong move and you will end up like your father. Oh, and congratulation on the new baby. I hope they bring you and your wife much joy.” 

The man nodded without a word and backed out of the room. The moment the door closed Victor picked up the phone and called for a cleanup crew to dispose of the body and clean the room. Then he turned to Kenji. “Will you look through the laptop?” 

Kenji grinned. “Sure, laptops are easy. I can probably have all the information for you by tomorrow.” 

“Perfect, but don’t push yourself to hard, I know you planned to start classes tomorrow. I would love to have the information before the next auction so I can get the authorities involved but it’s not urgent,” Victor saw the gleam in the young boy’s eye. 

“If I can stop one person from becoming a bonded slave it is urgent.”

Victor smiled at the young boy. “All right but remember that your body needs rest and sleep right now.” 

Kenji flushed and Victor knew he had guessed correctly. “You didn’t sleep last night?” 

“I was busy finding the condo and breaking into the security cameras then going over the footage.” 

“Go eat lunch and take a nap. That’s an order. We don’t even have the laptop yet.” Victor sighed. 

“Are you coming to lunch?” Yuuri asked as he began to follow the other omegas out of the room. 

“No, I have an errand to run. Yuuri make sure you go see Emil after lunch and you should take a nap too.” 

“Oh, right, your errand.” He watched Yuuri’s face flush and it occurred to him that Yuri did not remember their early morning conversation. 

“You were quite snuggly this morning Yuuri.” 

“I…”

Victor interrupted before he could apologize. “You woke me up with you nose all pressed into my scent gland and whispering about not wanting toys for your heat.” 

“Oh sweet gods and goddesses that wasn’t a dream.” Yuuri sank into his chair again not looking up at Victor and his face paled. “I’m sorry. You can ignore me Victor. I was obviously not thinking clearly.” 

Victor walked over and took Yuuri by the hand. This was not a conversation he wanted to have in the room with a dead body. He drew Yuuri out into the hallway and led him to his private study.

***

Yuuri followed Victor without question. He would go wherever Victor asked. Inside the study he stood quietly for a moment.

It was Victor who broke the silence. “So, you don’t want to share your heat with me?”

“No, I mean, yes, I mean, I do. I do want to share my heat with you. But I also understand that is not practical or really something that we should consider. I mean, realistically we have only known each other a week.”

“Almost two. But I know you are my mate. Do you believe you are my mate Yuuri?” 

“I … I want to be your mate. I’m just afraid.” 

“What are you afraid of?” The question was spoken gently, not as an accusation and Yuuri looked up form where he stood in the middle of the room to meet those ocean eyes you could drown in if you were not careful and decided maybe he did not want to be careful. 

“I’m afraid I won’t be good enough. You are the Pakhan of the Russian Bratva and I am just a dime-a-dozen omega you could find at any auction house across the world. I’m afraid eventually you will realize what a mistake you made and get tired of me.” 

“Oh Yuuri, solnyshko. I could never get tired of you. If I do shoot me.”

The words surprised Yuuri so much he laughed. “I would never shoot you I l…” He stopped himself just in time  
.   
“And I would never get tired of you because I love you too.” 

Apparently, he did not need to say it because Victor Nikiforov, as one of his many talents, read minds. 

“I uhm…”

“I know that you might not be able to say it right away and I know you might not believe me right away. Except that you do. Last night in my office, you interrupted me. Do you know how many people interrupt me Yuuri?”

“No one?”

Victor laughed. “Not quite, Mila and Chris will when I start on a tangent. Sara when I am being an ass in public. But you did when I was in the middle of giving instructions.” 

“I’m sorry.”

“No, sweetheart, don’t you understand. Part of you knew it was okay because you trusted me, knew I would never hurt you and knew your idea had merit and needed to be said. Then today right here in this office you took over talking to your cousin for me like we were a team.” 

Yuuri was silent for a moment then covered his face with his hand. “Sweet gods and goddesses I did. I am so sorry Victor.”

“For what. Yuuri, you have nothing to apologize for. As my mate we are a team. Your mind might not be completely aware of it yet, but your heart knows and some part of your mind knows. If you want me to share your heat with you I will. But I am also going to get you toys. I want you to have the option. Besides,” Victor winked at him. He actually winked. “No one said we can’t use the toys together.” 

Yuuri felt his face flame. “Oh, uhm, is that … is that something people do.”

Victor laughed and then Yuuri’s chin was being tilted up by a single finger. Victor leaned down and brushed his lips gently over Yuuri’s. His hand cupped Yuuri’s cheek then slid down and ripped the patch off Yuuri’s scent gland. His fingers gently caressed the newly exposed skin as his mouth teased Yuuri’s lips. 

When he pulled away Yuuri rose onto his tip toes to chase his lips and Victor obliged him with another kiss. This time as bit longer although just as soft and gentle. Victor’s lips skimming over Yuuri’s. This time when he pulled away Yuuri heard himself whimper. 

His pheromones were thick in the air and it smelled like want. Just from a simple kiss. Victor had not even used his tongue like he had in other kisses. “Yes, Yuuri, that is absolutely something people do.” Yuuri titled his head to the side and Victor lowered his head at the invitation to gently move his lips over Yuuri’s scent gland. “You taste so amazing. Even when I can’t smell you.” 

Yuuri felt his body reacting to Victor’s mouth. Slick started to build, and he remembered what Mila told him. He tried to tighten the muscles of his body in an attempt to keep any from leaking out. But it was too late. 

“Yuuuurrrii, you smell so sweet.” Victor rubbed his nose against his scent gland and Yuuri whimpered. “I want to spread you out on my desk and find out if you taste as delicious as you smell.” Without warning he sucked hard at his scent gland, pulling it into his mouth and licking it. 

Slick pooled between Yuuri’s legs. He moaned and tilted his neck to give Victor more access. But Victor lifted his head. He was licking his lips when he looked down at Yuuri and Yuuri could barely focus past the want. 

“Go see Emil, then you should eat something and take a nap before the last auction. We got a lot of useful information from Phichit’s buyer. I am hoping we will get even more from your buyer.” 

“Are you going to kill him?” Yuuri asked. 

“Not right away.” Victor smiled. “I’m going to warehouse him, with Lev and Mikael. Would you like to come and torture him, my Yuuri?” 

“I just want to be there when he dies.” 

“Then I will make sure you are.” 

Yuuri went to his closet first. He was not surprised to find a shelf full of new clothes and a shopping bag full of boxer briefs and socks. He took a clean pair of underwear and went to the bathroom and cleaned up. He threw his dirty clothes in the hamper Victor showed him the night before and found a clean pair of grey sweatpants in the closet. Everything was the right size and high end. Yuuri could not help feeling spoiled. 

He went to see Emil. 

“Yuuri, let me check your bruising and then I will give you your shot.” 

“Shot?”

“Victor didn’t tell you,” Emil helped him take his shirt off. “Your bruising is looking good and nothing looks infected on your back I am going to put more bruise cream and anti-biotic ointment on everything back here. Have you been using the bruise cream on your chest.” 

“Yes and last night Victor helped me put it on my back. What shot?”

“Oh, right, birth control. It is a bad idea for you to get pregnant while you are malnourished and have cracked ribs. Victor was completely in support of both of you going on birth control. He already got a shot of it this morning. He will get a shot once a week. You only need a shot once a month.” 

Yuuri had tuned most of that out. Everything after birth control was a bit jumbled. An omegas job was to please their alpha and to have babies. Even Kenji who had no interest in sex at all wanted a baby. He wanted babies. Babies with Victor’s eyes and Victor’s smile. 

That sudden realization was like a bucket of water dumped over his head. 

He wanted Victor’s babies.

But he was not well enough physically to have them, and his alpha knew that and was taking steps to protect him. After he saw Emil Yuuri wandered back to his nest and curled up in blankets that smelled like Victor. He was not well enough to give Victor a baby. Eventually the tired overtook the sad and he drifted off to sleep.

***

Victor found Yuuri curled in a ball tangled in no less than four different blankets. His glasses where on the side of the nest and his hair was messy with sleep. He looked utterly adorable and the nest smelled like them. 

Victor wanted to climb in and snuggle him but instead he sat on the edge and shook his shoulder gently. “Yuuri, it’s time to wake up. Your buyer will be here soon.”

He saw the flash of fear on Yuuri’s face before understanding crossed it. “I thought you were going to sell me.” He muttered. 

Victor pulled Yuuri into his lap and Yuuri grabbed the lapels of his suit. “Never my sweet Yuuri, never.”

“I want to have your babies one day.” Yuuri announced and Victor felt his face flush pink. Yuuri looked up and him. “Will you let me?”

“I would be deeply honored,” Victor said.

Yuuri smiled and burrowed his head into Victor’s chest. “Okay.” 

“You skipped lunch today Yuuri. You need to eat to save up energy before your heat.” 

“I’ll eat dinner. Can I sit next to you?” Victor felt like he was in high school and the cute boy wanted to sit at his lunch table. Not that he ever experienced that. Like Yura, Natalia, and Kenji he had tutors. He had Mila and Chris for friends. It would be good for the three of them to have each other. 

“I would love it if you sat next to me. Did you get your shot from Emil?” 

“I did.” 

“Good job, solnyshko, let’s get downstairs before your buyer gets here.” 

Yuuri dragged himself to his feet and put on his glasses. Victor followed him and put a hand on his hip. 

“Thank you for the new clothes. I need to find a way to earn money so I can buy some things I want.” Yuuri chewed his bottom lip. 

“Yuuri you are my mate. What is mine is yours. I will give you a card to my bank account tomorrow and you can buy whatever you want.” 

“I… you… I can’t do that. How would I pay you back?” 

“By existing and loving me.” 

Yuuri’s face blushed bright red. 

“Do you know that I had Mila check for your name on the list at every single conference after I first met you. I wanted desperately to see you again. I was not worried about if you were a beta. I just knew you were mine. We could never find you name. When you came to me with the knife, I thought it might be a trick. Send me a gorgeous omega who smells similar and try to get something out of me. Money, a murder, something for the Oyabun. I had Mila check the omega list and there was your name. I was never so happy in my life. The rest of the night even after we talked I couldn’t take my eyes off you. All I could think about was how to fix things with you so you would come back to St. Petersburg with me and I could court you properly. Now here you are. If I want to buy you nice things I can. I already missed out on buying you a dog. I don’t plan to miss out on being the one to buy you anything else you want.”

Victor’s speech was met with silence for a moment and he was afraid he had gone to far and said to much. Then Yuuri paused in their walk down the hall, he turned to Victor. “I love you.” 

Victor thought his heart might explode from how amazing it was to hear those three little words. 

“I love you too, my Yuuri.”

“Yes, I am yours. I want you to never be able to take your eyes off me.” 

“Oh, solnyshko, it would be a crime to do such a thing.”

Yuuri giggled. They had reached the green room. Victor released Yuuri to join the other omegas. He smoothed out his suit and walked through the front door of the room. Security was high for this auction. He had been told after the morning events that Lev and Mikael were, in fact warehoused. Mickey’s team found them both at the condo Kenji found. But they still didn’t know if they had help from inside the mansion. Add to that Victor did not trust this last buyer. He was American and as Yuuri had told him he had many omegas who died under strange circumstances. 

The omegas filed in and sat down. 

Mila tapped on the door and Victor called for her to enter. 

***

Yuuri was not sure what he was expecting. But the man who entered was not it. He was in his early forties maybe, and handsome. Dark complexion, bright green eyes and black hair closely cropped, he was clean shaven and smiled as he entered. 

“No need to give me the spiel Nikiforov, the Oyabun e-mailed me and let me know that the operation was intercepted. He warned me the merchandise was stolen by the Bratva and he did not know the fate of the omegas. His own men were killed.” 

“I didn’t kill his men. I sent them back to him alive. Not whole, but alive.” 

“You must not be familiar with the Yakuza. If you are not whole you are not able to work you might as well be dead so you are given the opportunity to take your life in an honorable way.” His voice had a uniquely American accent. Maybe Texan? 

“My name is Jacobsen by the way. I do not want any bad blood with the Bratva. I just want my omega.” 

“I want information. Give me what I want and I will consider giving you what you want.” 

Jacobsen walked over to the omegas. He zeroed in on Yuuri and walked up to him lifting his head. Yuuri knew better than to meet an alpha’s gaze. But some part of him felt defiant. Victor would not let him get hurt. He looked right into the strange alphas eyes and let his dislike show on his face. 

Jacobsen laughed. He ran a thumb over Yuuri’s lips. “I’m going to have so much fun teaching you to behave. When I am done you will ask me when you can eat, when you can sleep, when you can use the bathroom. You will call me master and you will take my cock like it is your favorite candy.” 

Yuuri was glad his scent gland was covered with a patch again to hide some of his pheromones. Fear was leaking out of him despite knowing Victor was not going to let him be harmed.

“I suggest you take your hands off him. The longer you touch him the longer I will torture you. The quicker you step away the sooner you die.” Victor’s voice was knife sharp. Yuuri had thought once or twice he had heard Victor cold and hard. Now he realized he had only ever heard his alpha curious or questioning. This was Victor cold and it was terrifying. 

The American laughed. Dropping Yuuri’s chin he turned. “You are not going to kill me. I will pay you twice what I paid the Oyabun for the omega. I do not care if you have already used him. Virginity is not an issue for me as long as he is not with child.” 

“Tell me what you planned to do with the other omegas you were going to get from the Oyabun?”

Jacobsen looked from Victor to JJ then back. “Why are you asking me? Why not ask him? The Leroy family runs the biggest underground omega auction ring in North America. They call him King JJ. Ask him how he met his pretty little omega Bella over there?”

Yuuri turned to Bella. She had tears in her eyes. She was shaking her head. “No,” she whispered “It’s not true. JJ isn’t like that anymore.”

“What do you mean anymore, Bella?” Yuuri asked. “How did you meet JJ?”

She looked up at Yuuri, her eyes pleading for understanding “He pulled me out of an auction his family was running.” 

***

The room went silent. Victor turned and leveled JJ with a glare. “Do you run omega auctions?”

“I used to help my family with them. Since I have taken over the family business two years ago we have not run a single auction and I have done my best to support causes that help anti-human trafficking organizations and recovery organizations. Many of the same ones you support and some that are unique to North America. I am trying to make amends for what my family did. If one of my brothers is still involved, it is without my knowledge or consent.” 

“Please, you really think anyone believes that line of bullshit?” Jacobsen laughed.

JJ pulled his gun.

“Don’t kill him.” Victor let his alpha pheromones fill the air. JJ lowered the gun because he did not have a choice. Victor turned to Jacobsen. “Tell me about the last auction you attended. Did you see JJ there?”

“No,” Jacobsen ground out the word, obviously trying to fight Victor’s dominance. But Victor was stronger. He let out another wave of pheromones. “I saw his younger brother Jonathan. But Jonathan talked about JJ being involved behind the scenes.”

“JJ, did you know anything about this?” 

“No, I already said I didn’t.” JJ wasn’t fighting the pheromones he was just riding them out. “Jonathan makes sense. He is young and stupid. Plus, he always agreed with Mom and Dad no matter what they said. He’s beta too so the distressed omegas wouldn’t bother him the way it always bothered me and James.”

“Your parents were beta too?”

“Yes, so they couldn’t smell the distress. James and I hated going to the auctions. We both decided together to end them as soon as mom stepped down and turned things over to me.”   
Victor let the pheromones go, he glanced over at the omegas. All of them were bowing their heads and tilting their throats in submission. He forgot how his pheromones would affect them too. He wasn’t exactly sure how to help them. He could not release calming pheromones. Not with these two alphas in his house. 

He decided the best thing to do was finish this and get these strangers out of his home. “Why were you having the Yakuza secure omegas for you. Surely America has plenty?” 

“The United States has become extremely strict with their omegas rights laws and enforcement. If an American omega goes missing shit hits the fan. But there is less they can and will do about a foreign omega.” 

“I see so your intent was to keep Yuuri and then start procuring goods for the next omega auction that Jonathan was running?” 

“That is the idea.” 

“When is this auction?”

“In three months. But today I am walking out of here with my very own omega. My last girlfriend found someone new and unfortunately for me he is strong enough to protect her.”  
“And why are you so sure I will allow this to happen?” 

“The Oyabun told me this one attracted your interest at the recent summit. But look at him.” The man gestured to the group of omegas and then walked specifically to Yuuri. He pulled off his glasses and tilted his head from side to side. “Do you really think he is appropriate to be at the side of the Pakhan? Surely you have lost interest by now?”

“Chris, I’m done listening to him. I want him warehoused he doesn’t have any more useful information.”

Three men stepped forward at once. Jacobsen reached behind him for his gun. But Mila made sure to take his weapons at the door. Chris zip tied his hands and then covered that with duct tape. Ivan duct taped his knees together then zip tied and taped his ankles. 

Victor smiled as he watched one of his burly beta guards holding him up. “I’m going to enjoy torturing you.” 

Yuuri had stood up and Victor beckoned the omega to his side. He slid his arm around him. “Yuuri is my mate. Anyone who touches him dies. The more they touch the longer and slower the death. But you, you are special. You thought you actually got to take my Yuuri away from me.”

“Silly stupid man,” Yuuri muttered. 

Victor chuckled. “Yuuri asked to kill you and I told him he could. But I am going to keep you in the warehouse for a while first. By the time Yuuri kills you it will be a mercy killing and you will be begging for death.” 

Jacobsen’s mouth was already covered with duct tape but he looked truly frightened for the first time. 

Victor spun on JJ as the guard dragged Jacobsen away to take him to the warehouse. “You, you need to get your house in order and get your brother under control. We signed contracts and agreed to do business. I will not honor them if there is another auction in three months.”

“There will not be anymore auctions hosted by my family. I will make sure of that.”

“Excellent, we will be watching. In the meantime, I think you need to gather your men, and your mate and leave my home. Perhaps after we are sure the auctions have been ended you can come and visit again. At this time, I do not feel comfortable with you under my roof.” Victor knew it was cold but he wanted his mate safe. 

“I understand.” 

Yuuri stepped forward toward JJ. “When you told the Oyabun you had a job for me and you wanted Phichit to come too did you plan to sell us?” 

“No, Yuuri, never.” This came from Isabella. “The auctions were over by then.”

“Isabella is correct. I believed the auctions to be over at that time. I actually wanted you to work with us on some jobs we were doing. I will make sure Jonathan is stopped and disciplined for his actions. Come on Bella, it’s time to go home.” JJ held out his hand and Isabella walked over and took it, tears in her eyes. 

“I’ll miss you Yuuri.” 

“Maybe I can call sometime.” Yuuri looked up at Victor hopefully. 

“I got you a phone this afternoon too. You can call whoever you want. And text.” 

Yuuri’s eyes got huge. “I get a phone?” 

Victor almost laughed except in the end it was not funny. He kissed Yuuri’s head. “Isabella make sure you leave a contact number for Yuuri.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that you all don't hate me for that little twist with JJ.


	16. The End of Pre-Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some torture - nothing graphic - some Phichit being Phichit and Yuuri and Victor being sweet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello,   
> Thank you all for reading. I appreciate every single comment and Kudo. You are all the most wonderful people. I never imagined when I started writing this that I would have this many readers or this much support. You all keep me writing. Thank you all. 
> 
> The whole first section of this is talk of torture. Because they are in the Bratva and so yeah they do that kind of thing. If you are not into that kind of thing you can skip the first section but it is nothing graphic just talk.

Victor led Chris, Yura, Sara, Mila, and Ivan into the warehouse. Six guards were watching over the three men secured inside. He needed information from two of them. One of them he just planned to punish. They were also accompanied by a nurse from Emil’s infirmary who had a kit full of things she might need in an emergency. The warehouse had a small area in one corner with a cot, IV pole and refrigerator with bags of saline and blood for transfusions. Interrogations could be difficult, and you didn’t want to loose your victim halfway through getting the information you needed. 

To many it would seem strange to bring Mila to an interrogation. She seemed like a harmless secretary. Bubbly, happy and maybe even a little out of touch sometimes. That mask of harmlessness served her very well over the years. Very few people knew that Mila was as good with a knife as her mate was with a gun. She would be training Yura tonight. The young boy would eventually have a seat on the council taking his grandfathers place when he was a few years older. But for now, he was in training. 

“Mila, I want you and Yura to talk to Lev.”

“Oh, gladly.” Mila gave him a positively evil grin. She had been ready to cut into Lev since she heard Natalia’s story. Mila had a thing for protecting young girls, whether they were alpha, beta, or omega. Young girls were vulnerable to men no matter what their secondary gender. “Yura, have you ever extracted someone’s fingernails?”

“No,” Yura sounded uncertain. This was going to be his first lesson in interrogation.

Victor left the two of them with Lev and a guard from inside the warehouse and moved further in. He stopped in front of Mikael. He pulled a plain wooden chair and nodded to Ivan. Then he nodded to the guard who lowered Mikael. 

Victor ripped the tape off his mouth. “Mikael. You are going to tell Chris everything you know. I want the names of everyone helping you.”

Mikael spit on his face. 

Victor didn’t even turn, he just spoke as he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his cheek. “Chris.”

Chris backhanded Ivan. 

“You have two choices. Cooperate, or you can watch your son get tortured.” 

“What is the difference no matter what I do you are going to kill him.”

“Ivan, tell your father our deal.”

“My life is in your hands, father. If you cooperate, I live. Every time you refuse or are difficult, they hurt me. If I stay here and take it then they will take care of Natalia even if both of us end up dead.” 

“You are being a lapdog because you think that Victor Nikiforov will take care of your sister, a useless omega who can’t even attract a strong mate?” 

“Chris.” Victor took a step away from Mikael as he heard Chris hit Ivan again. Chris would not let it get out of hand. Ivan might need a few weeks to recover but he would not die tonight.

Victor walked off to the third man in the warehouse Sara at his side. He pulled a chair up and had the man guarding the prisoner to lower him down. He ripped the tape from his mouth. “Hello Jacobsen?” 

“You can’t do this? Do you have any idea who I am in the U.S? I have friends they will come after you if I disappear.” Jacobsen snarled the words. He was releasing dominate pheromones. Victor brushed them off.

“Do you know who I am? I am the Pakhan of the Russian mafia. There is no one in the U.S. that is going to come after me. Not for you.” Victor paused and let his own alpha pheromones out. “Now lets be clear as to why you are here. You planned to hurt my Yuuri. No one hurts my Yuuri. I am going to punish you.” 

He pulled up a chair and shoved a cowering Jacobsen into it. Sara stepped forward and taped his legs to the chair. Then Sara and the guard tied his torso to the chair. Then they untied his arms, and retied them so they where strapped through the back of the chair but could be pulled forward to the front of the chair. 

Victor stood by and watched. Jacobsen had already been checked over and stripped of weapons, Lev and Mikael had as well. But they were still careful with them. These men were trained and might fight back. Finally, pleased with the results Sara stepped away from Jacobsen.

“Now, I think we will start with your fingers because you dared to touch my Yuuri. I promise, it is going to hurt, but you are not going to die tonight.” Victor smiled and walked forward with a pair of garden sheers. “Do you know why? Because my Yuuri is going to kill you. You will just have to wait and suffer until he is ready to come and kill you. You won’t know when he is coming it could be days it could be weeks. But I’ll visit you often in the meantime and I’ll make sure you remember our time together.” 

Victor pulled his right hand forward, stretching his arm to an awkward angle. He heard a scream from the front of the room. Mila had started her torture with Lev. He would not hold out long, if he managed to stay conscious. If not, the nurse would give him a shot of adrenaline and bring him back around. Lev did not like pain and Mila was an expert at inflicting it. She would get the names of anyone he knew who was involved. 

His money was on Lev breaking before Mikael. 

He stretched out Jacobsen’s fingers.

“Wait, wait, what do you want? I can give you money. I have a lot. I can do a wire transfer.”

Victor paused and stepped back. “How much do you think my Yuuri’s life in worth to me?” 

“Not for his life for mine. Just let me go and I will vanish you will never hear from me again.”

“How much are you offering?” 

“I can send you two million dollars tonight.” 

“Interesting. My hacker did some research on you. He claims your net worth is six million. You are only offering me a fraction of what you really have to save your life.” 

“I…I have to have something left to live on.” 

“Honestly, you don’t. Besides, your accounts have already been cleaned out and your money is in my control. You’ve sent your dearest friends a note about how you just can’t face the stress anymore and you are disappearing to a little island you purchased with the latest omega you found.”

“No one will believe that.” 

“Your protégé seemed eager to believe it and take over the reins of the business.”

“How did you even…”

“Your laptop was on your jet, but my hacker had already gotten most of what he needed from your phone. The laptop was just a boon for the bank accounts at that point.” Victor scowled, “I’m done talking.” He yanked Jacobsen’s hand forward again and pulled his pinky away from his other fingers as the garden sheers touched the skin Jacobsen started to cry and it was a beautiful sound. 

***

“Tell me again how making him stay here and play video games with you is punishment?” Yuuri asked Phichit.

“Well, little Yuri or Yura as everyone around here calls him but I think I will call him little Yuri because he seems to like that.”

“I think you are lying.” 

Phichit just grinned an evil grin. “Anyway, little Yuri is his mate and Otabek is his bodyguard. Right now little Yuri is going into a potentially dangerous situation. But I am not letting Otabek go with him to make sure he is safe.” 

“Yeah okay, that is pretty cruel.” 

“It’s a highly controlled situation. I talked to Victor about it before I made Otabek stay. He agreed it would be safe for him to stay behind.” Phichit confided.

Yuuri hummed agreement. Then this really was just about punishing Otabek. The alpha would worry about his omega until he knew he was safe but Yura would not be back for several hours at least. Well, Phichit had promised he would make the alpha pay for what he did in Japan and he was living up to his word. At the moment he was making popcorn for them to eat while they played video games in the den. 

Yuuri yawned. He was sleepy. Which really was not a surprise. Usually, he spent his pre-heats eating and napping and doing light chores around the house like making a meal or two and doing the dishes. Not planning and implementing mock auctions for the people who planned to buy omegas from Japan on a regular basis. 

Not to mention he was still covered with bruises. He curled up on the sofa resting his head on the arm and pulling a blanket over himself. “Phichit I might watch the first few rounds.” He yawned. 

Phichit gave him a knowing smile. “Sure Yuuri, you do what you need to do.” 

“You’re just as bad in pre-heat,” Yuuri grumbled. 

“I am probably worse. You probably can’t get me out of my nest,” Phichit agreed easily.

Yuuri smiled at his friend and blinked at the screen a few times. He rubbed his eyes under his glasses then took them off so they would not get more bent than they already were. He put them on the little table next to the sofa and closed his eyes. 

Someone ran a hand from his shoulder to his wrist. It felt nice. The motion was repeated. He could hear Victor talking. “Wake up, solnyshko, it’s time to eat dinner.” 

He blinked his eyes open and looked up at Victor. “Sorry, I fell asleep.” 

“Why are you sorry? You should be sleeping. It is important for your body to save energy right now. Come one, dorogoy, let’s get dinner.” 

Victor helped him untangle from the blanket and handed him his glasses. He followed him to the kitchen. Chris, Mila, Phichit, Otabek, Yura, and Sara, were all in there making plates at the counter.

“Oh, Yuuri, you are going to love this. It is pelmeni, Lilia and a couple of the other omega’s who enjoy cooking with take over the kitchen for a day and make huge batches like a couple hundred at a time and freeze them. Then we can take a bag out and heat them up for dinner when we want them,” Victor explained. 

Yuuri noted there was also mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans on the stove. He was sure Phichit had roped Otabek into cooking or at least that the two of them had cooked together. His thoughts were confirmed when Phichit complained in Thai as he approached “They don’t have any of the spices or ingredients I needed to make stir fry. I’m not even sure they have the right equipment.” 

“Phichit, there are other people from Japan here, I am sure they have a wok and a rice steamer.” Yuuri replied in English. Then he pointed to the list on the refrigerator. “Write what you need on there and the next time someone goes shopping they will buy it.” He told him in Thai. 

“Anything?” Phichit asked in English, glancing at Victor.

“What do you want to make?” Victor asked.

“Beef stir fry with some Thai spices.” 

“We might actually have to order those online, Phichit. Unless there is an Asian market around here.” Yuuri glanced at Victor hopefully. 

“No unfortunately not. But why don’t you two go online tomorrow and shop for the spices and other things you would need to cook the dishes you want. Yuuri I have a card for you linked to my account you can use. We do have a wok, but no rice steamer so you can order one of those as well. I have your new bank card as well Phichit if you want to do any shopping for yourself.” 

Phichit grinned. “That sounds great.”

Yuuri put a few of the pelmeni on his plate and some green beans and mashed potatoes with gravy. His plate looked too full. He grabbed a fork and went to an open seat with an open chair next to it Victor had piled his plate heaping with food. He sat down next to Yuuri. 

He made no comment on Yuuri’s plate. But the second Yuuri ate the last bite from his plate he angled his body toward him and smiled. “Are you still hungry my Yuuri?” 

“Oh, uhm…it’s okay.”

Victor held out his fork with a bite of food and suddenly Yuuri very much wanted to eat. His alpha was offering him food. He opened his mouth and accepted.

By the time Victor’s plate was empty he was pleasantly full and very sleepy. He yawned trying to cover it with his hand. 

“Sleepy my Yuuri?” 

Yuuri nodded. 

“Then let’s get you all tucked into your nest.” 

***

Victor could not believe how cute his omega was. First eating now looking all sleepy and adorable. 

Victor took Yuuri’s hand and led him out of the dining room. They were halfway up the stairs when he suddenly had a flash of doubt. He planned to take Yuuri to his bedroom and let him take a nice long bath in the big bathtub in his room. 

Then he remembered the bloody clothes in the corner of the bathroom that he was sure no housekeeper had time to clean up. What would Yuuri think of the evidence that he had been torturing Jacobsen? 

Yuuri had expressed fears that Victor would one day punish him. That would of course never happen, but Yuuri might see those clothes and think he could. Victor squeezed his hand. “Yuuri, you know I would never hurt you, right?” 

Yuuri looked over at him and his eyes went wide. “Why would I think my mate would hurt me?”

Victor smiled at him and pulled him close. “You shouldn’t. Because I never would.” 

They made it to Victor’s rooms and Victor realized that it is not just his rooms anymore it was his and Yuuri’s rooms. “Would you like a bath Yuuri?” 

“That sounds really nice.” 

“There is a wonderful bathtub in our room.” Victor felt a little thrill when he said those words. 'Our room.'

He led Yuuri through to the bathroom. Just as he suspected Yuuri’s eyes fell on the pile of bloody clothes in the corner of the room. 

“Did you torture Jacobsen?”

Victor didn’t know exactly how Yuuri was going to respond to his answer, but he wasn’t going to lie. “Yes I did.”

“He said he was going to make me call him master. He would have hurt me. You won’t do that will you, Victor.”

“Never, dorogoy. You are precious to me. You may live your life as you wish, and I will always be here to protect and support you.”

Yuuri looked at him with a tiny pout. “I can protect you too.”   
'  
Victor gave a laugh of relief. “Of course, you can, solnyshko. I have no doubt you are more than capable of protecting yourself and me. But Yuuri, you know my instinct is always going to be to protect you and keep you safe.”

Yuuri smiled much to Victor’s relief. “As long as you don’t lock me away and make me call you master or beat me when I make a mistake. Because I make lots of mistakes.” 

“Yuuri, I could never hurt you. Don’t you understand. My instinct is to protect you. How could I ever hurt you, I only want to see you safe and happy?” 

Yuuri looked up at him his eyes wide and the deep brown seemed to be touched with amber. “I am the luckiest omega. My alpha is so beautiful, and he wants me to be safe and happy.”

Victor felt himself flush. He cleared his throat. “Would you like to see the bathtub Yuuri?”

***

Yuuri woke up alone. Well, not entirely alone the dogs were curled up together in the nest with him Makka at his back and Vicchan by his knees. He was warm. 

Sweaty. 

He drew in a deep breath. Oh, that was no good. His scent was off, the cherry blossom heavy and sweet and the cinnamon sharp. Had he miscalculated the days. Maybe pre-heat started the day he was asleep on the plane.

Or maybe his heat was coming early because of Victor. Being close to his mate. Whatever the case he was very close to his heat. Last night Victor gave him a tour of his huge bathroom and explained all the features of his sunken tub. Then left him to take his bath alone. He’s been surprised because he thought Victor was going to join him. 

Much later, after Yuuri had been asleep for hours Victor climbed in the nest with him and wrapped an arm around his waist. He snuggled back against his alpha. Then this morning his alpha was gone again. 

Victor said he would spend his heat with him, but Victor didn’t expect his heat to start today because he didn’t know it would start today. He chewed on the inside of his cheek as he tried to decide what to do. Someone outside the closet called out in Russian and Makka jumped to her feet and ran from the room, Vicchan followed her. 

Yuuri snuck out of the nest and to the door. He closed it all the way not wanting anyone to come in and come close to the nest. He felt too warm and peeled his sweat drenched shirt off dropping it outside the nest. He laid down and tried to get comfortable, his heat would start soon. He should try to rest. 

Yuuri woke again the closet dark except for the fairy lights around his nest. His nest was safe and warm. He was hot. He was alone. He didn’t want to leave his nest but his alpha wasn’t here. He whined. 

Standing he shuffled to the door and peeked out the bedroom was empty. He thought about putting a shirt on but his skin felt to warm and sensitive to put a shirt against it. He could barely stand to keep on his pants. He crept into the bedroom and to the door. He peeked out. 

Phichit sat in the room watching a movie on the big screen TV. Phichit looked up as soon as the door opened. He looked at Yuuri peeking out. Their gazes locked. 

“Oh, okay.” Phichit rose from the couch. “You go back to your nest Yuuri. I will go and get Victor for you.” 

Yuuri whined a little. “Don’t take my mate Phichit.” 

“I would never do that, you know that. I have no interest in Victor. I’m just going to go tell him to get his ass up here to the nest. Okay.”

“Okay.”

“You wait in your nest.” 

Yuuri went back to his nest. He stripped off his sleep pants and shuffled some blankets around, trying to make it perfect for his mate. He heard the door click open and turned. Victor stood in the doorway. 

“Yuuri, sweet gods and goddesses you smell so good,” Victor whispered. 

All Yuuri could do was stare at his mate who was so very handsome. How could someone like that want someone like him? He whined and shuffled around in the nest. Victor took a few steps into the closet. Then his scent hit Yuuri. He had not used a scent blocker today. 

Ice, sandalwood, and a hint of rose. He smelled so good. Yuuri wanted to lick at his scent glands and taste him. 

Would Victor let him do that? 

“Yuuri, do you still want me to share your heat with you?” Victor asked still standing a few feet away. 

Yuuri looked up from his throat to his eyes. “Yes.” 

“All right. I am going to get some supplies, like bottles of water protein bars. I will come back it will not take me long. Can you wait for me?” 

“Yes, I have waited for you for so long Victor.” 

“Oh, dorogoy. I won’t be long. I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading. I so appreciate all of you. I am asking you all your opinion. I have not really written a lot of erotic scenes before. Would you like me to keep Yuuri's heat primarily off page or would you like to read about it. you can tell me in the comments. What I have written is mostly off page but I will try to write some on page if that is something you are interested. Tell me in the comments.

**Author's Note:**

> The story is almost complete in written format - I hand write everything first. I am putting it into the computer as fast as I can. I will try to update at least once a week. I hope that you enjoy.


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